IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


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Hi    1^    12.0 


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U       1.6 

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Hiotographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


33  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  872-4503 


&- 


&»/ 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  canadien  de  microreproductions  historiques 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this 
cupy  which  may  be  bibliographically  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  in  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


y 


D 
D 

n 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 

Covers  damaged/ 
Couverture  endommag^e 

Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaur^e  et/ou  pelliculde 

Cover  title  missing/ 

Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 


j      I    Coloured  maps/ 


□ 


n 


Cartes  gSographiques  en  couleur 


□    Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 

□    Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 
Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 


bound  with  other  material/ 
Relid  avec  d'autres  documents 

Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

Lareliure  serr^e  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distortion  le  long  de  la  marge  int6rieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  pos:  ibie,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajoutdes 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texte, 
mais,  lorsque  cela  dtait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  6x6  filmdes. 


L'Institut  a  microfilm^  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  6X6  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
de  cet  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-Stre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  mdthode  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiqu^s  ci-dessous. 


I      I    Coloured  pages/ 


Pages  de  couleur 

Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommag6es 


I — I    Pages  damaged/ 

□    Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Pages  restaurdes  et/ou  pellicul6es 


v/ 


Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  ddcolordes,  tachet^es  ou  piqu^es 


□Pages  detached/ 
Pages  ddtach^es 


y 


Showthrough/ 
Transparence 


I      I    Quality  of  print  varies/ 


D 


Qualitd  indgale  de  I'impression 

Includes  supplementary  material/ 
Comprend  du  material  supplementaire 

Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Edition  disponible 


Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partiellement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuiiiet  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  6t6  filmdes  i  nouveau  de  faqon  d 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


D 


Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  suppl^mentaires. 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  filmd  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqud  ci-dessous. 

10X  14X  18X  22X 


n 


y 


12X 


16X 


7BK 


26X 


30X 


24X 


28X 


32X 


The  copy  filmed  here  has  been  reproduced  t'lanks 
to  the  generosity  of: 

Bibliothdque  nationale  du  Quebec 


L'exemplaire  filmd  fut  reproduit  grdce  d  la 
g6n6roslt6  de: 

Bibliothdque  nationale  du  Quebec 


The  images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  keeping  with  the 
filming  contract  specifications. 


Les  images  suivantes  ont  6X6  reproduites  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin,  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  et 
de  la  nettet6  de  l'exemplaire  filmd,  et  en 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


Les  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprimde  sont  film6s  en  commenpant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  selon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  film6s  en  commenpant  par  la 
premidre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  •^►(meaning  "CON- 
TINUED ").  or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 

Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
dernidre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbole  — «^  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
symbole  V  signifie  "FIN". 

Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  dtre 
filmds  d  des  taux  de  reduction  diffdrents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  dtre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  clichd,  il  est  filmd  d  partir 
de  Tangle  supdrieur  gauche,  de  gauche  d  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  ndcessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mdthode. 


1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

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UFFALO 

HISTORICAL 
March    i6,   1S74, 

SOCIETY 

Bv  ORSAMUS   11.  MARSIIALT-. 

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In    tilt'    Cily   (if    llmicii,    llic    ;iiificiil    C;i|iii,il    of   Nui' 
iiiiiiidy,  iiliim-t   iimlcr  ilic  >Ii;i(l«)w  of  i|s  rciiowiKMl  ('nllic- 
<lr;iK    \\:i-    lioiii,    (111    ilic    22(1   <I:i\    dl'    Nn\('iiil)cr    HIl.'!, 

luilicrl    (  '••iNclicl'  (Ic    L;i   S;ill('. 

Docciidcd  iVdiii  ;iii  III  iiinr;iK!i'  [KirciiliiL^'c,  In-  r('('ci\c(l, 
"iiMlcr  the  c'lrc  of  llic  ,lc-iiils<  tdl  the  ;idv:iiil;i^i;-('s  of  ;i 
lil><'r;il  ('(liic-didii.  iiiid  for  ;i  lirid"  |)<'ri(jd  \\;is  ciirolh.'d  ii-^ 
;i  iiiciidtci'  of  I  licii'  ( )rdt'r. 

W  lirii  lie  led  ilinn  dn  the  dc;iili  ol'  |d->  Fjitlii'i',  it  \v;is 
Vt  il  lioiii  fori  line,  r<  ■!•  li\-  his  coll  iicci  ion  w't  h  i  heir  Soviet  \', 
lit'  li.'itl  IdiTcilcd  ;dl  chiiiii   lo  llic  [);irciit;il  lici'idiii'c. 

\\itli  111'  resources  >;i\'c  Ids  iiidoiiiiliil)lc  ciicruA'  and 
sciciitilic  acc(iiii|ili-liiiiciils,  nnd  no  appareiiL  iiidiicc- 
nicids  except  the  lo\('  of  iid\-en(ure  ;ind  a  desire  lo  vi>it, 
an  elder  I )i'oi lier  I lieii  resident  ill  Canada,  lie  einl»ai'ked  lor 
the  New  AVorld  in  IGliiJ,  where  lie  I'oundeil  iieai;  Mon- 
treal, I  he  \illaL:;e  ol"  '•  La  ( "hine." 

Increased  aticntioii  has  within  the  la>l  few  veai's,  l»eeii 
directed  to    lii>   re>eai'chcs';ind  cxjild'at  ions  on  thisCoii- 


iiein 

rill 


riic  I'ccent  discoxery  of  various  inaniiscri[)ls  I'elafiiiL;' 
to  his  e\|)loratioiis  hIoiil;-  our  Xorthern  Lakes  and 
Western  Kivci's  as  far  as  tlu;  (!ulf  of  ]\Icxico,  lias 
awakened  a  fresh  intert'st  in  this  suliject.  A  lai'gc  iiia.-.s 
ol  new  lualcrial  is  now  in  iIk;  pt)s>essi()ii  of  Ml'.  Pierre 
^Lii'ti'iy,  ()[  Paris,  I'oi-  tlio  pul)lic'atioii  of  wliii'h  !?10,000 
lias  I'ceeidly   been   a[>[)ro[)rialed   Ly  an  Act  of  our   Con- 


58864 


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^I'l'os,  |)r(M'lir('(l  li\  llic  ji'llil  (■,'  III-  III'  Millie  (if  llir  iiMi-I 
ciiiiiKMil  (if  (iiir  AiiM'i  ic'iii  I  li-l(iri;tii-,  iiidnl  li\-  i,\\v  own 
Mild  (il  lit'i'  I  li-lmiciil    SocicI  ic>. 

While  (III  ;i  tTfrjil  \i-i|  |(i  |*;il  i,-,  I  W  ;i>  cli;!  M(  ■(  |.  I  In'oll-ll 
(lie    (•(illl|c-\     (if    Mr.    M;il;jl\,    I  ( t   (' Mllll  i  lie     \\\<    I'lirc    Cdilcc- 

liiiii-.  ;iiiil  ciiii  li-lilV  lo  llirir  \':iliic  niid  iiii  |m  niiincc. 

Till'  |ini|ni-iM|  |il|li|Ir;il  ioll  will  cjlllir.'ici'  M'Nrl'llI 
\nl  nine-  III'  (iriL'iii;d  iii;ileri;d. 

Three  will  lie  deNOled  |ii  I  he  d  Im'i  i\  erie-  lllld  e\|ilnr;|- 
lioli>  ul'  Lii  S;ille,  illid  one  lo  eiieli  <il  llie  I'l  ilji  i\\  ili;^ 
SIllijeeN  : 

The   l*i(»lieer-  ol"   I  he   M  i->i.--i  1 1|  li. 

Le  Mii\lie  I )  I  lier\  ille,  |''ir>l  I|m\;iI  (invcriinr  of 
Iii)iii>i;iii;i. 

IjC     .MoN'lie    de     r>ie|l\ille,     Second     J|m\;i1     (  i  i  )\-erii  i  iI'    ii( 

Ii(iiii.-i;iii;i. 

Allloilie  de  1;|  Mullie  (";idill;ie.  Third  I'<i\;il  (  e  i\-eri  in!' 
of    L(ilii>i;ili;|. 

The  (  'liiiiii   iif    We-leni    I'nsls.   ;ilid 

The   Iii(li;iiis.       M;ilsiliL!'   Ill  nil   It'll   Ni  il  II  lues. 

Tlie\-  will  lie  i>>l|ed  under  ;i  ei  Hi  (  nicl ,  wlliell  h;is  lieeli 
coiieliiiled  lielweeii  Mr.  .M ;i rL:ry  ;i lid  ihe  .Iniiil  I.ilir;ir\- 
riHIlinil  l"e  III"  CollLlTos.  The  lir>l  \nlllllie  is  lie;irl\' 
re;id\'  lor  ihe  in'c-s,  ;iiiil  will  lie  Inoked  for  wiili  iiiiieh 
iiileresi  l»y  -t  iideiils  of  Aiiierieiiii  liislor\-. 

Mv.  M!H\U'r\"  lliis  lieeli  eliuii^cd,  for  ni;ili\-  \e;irs.  in  enl- 
lectiiiU'  llie  iii;iieri;d  for  lliis  ]iiil)lie;ilioii.  his  olTieiul  coii- 
iieelioii  wilh  llie  I)e[>;irl  ne'iil  of  llie  Jfii/isfcrc  (h;  la 
j\f(iri)t(\  in  Piiris,  li;i\iiiu'  idlonied  him  speeiid  fiieililics 
lor  ihe  iiiidertakiiiL:. 

Anion,!;'  his  ciillee;  Ions.  I  round  ;iii  uniudilislied  maini- 
sc'ripl   j'oiirnal,   eopird   iVoiu    llu'  oriuiiial    in    ihe   DiMio- 


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llic<,i|c  N;il  iiili.ili'.  il:  i';ili-.  L:i\  ill'.;'  ;ili  ;icc(  »|iii  t  ( »!"  ;i  li  cX  |  m- 
(liliiili  iiiM  Ici  l.'ilscii  li\  L;i  Siilli'  ;iii(l  I,,  (I  Slll|iii'i;ili  Mi> 
si<  iliiir;<'.-      ililn    llic    fii!iiilr\     dl'    the     Si'||i'c;l>.     liii'lC     lll;ili 

A-  mil'  (if  iIh'  -|ii'ci;il  (ilijcrt-  nf  llli>  SkcicIv  i-  llic 
<li>c(  i\  cry  ;iii(l  |  nc-ci  \  ;i  I  iuii  df  lii-l  ( iric:il  iii:i  I  criiil  rchil  iiii:' 

|m    lllr   -el  I  IcllirnI     dl'    \\c-|i'rii     N'cW      ^'()|■k,     wIli'llltT    ciili- 

liiicil  Id  llic  pidiiccr  ciitcr[irl-c-  (if  ilic  wliiio,  ni'  cm- 
liniciiii';  llicirlir-l  iiiti  rcoiir-c  ;iiii|  i  i';iii-;ici  it>ii-  wiili  lln- 
Iii(li;iii-.  I  w  illliiL:l\'  ;iccc|)tcil  ihc  lVicii(ll\'  dlVcr  dl'  Mr. 
.M;ir;^r\'.  In  I'linii.-li  ilic  \ii;icl  I'l-din  llic  jdiini;il  in  (|iic>- 
tinli,  ;i  I  l';lli--l;i;  idii  of  wliicji  I  lic'j'  |c;i\'('  lo  illllddiicc  lo 
\(iur  ;ii  Iciil  iiMi  I  hi-  cN-ciiiiii:-.  .i-  llic  W.-i.-i'-  df  iii\-  [Hc-ciil 
|.,i|H.r. 

A-i(lc  frdiii  il-  iiiliiii-Ir  intcrc-t,  il  scciiicil  id  Lc  d| 
MiHiciciil  liisKiric'i!  iiii[t(iil;iiic('  Id  ciilillc  il.  Id  ;i  pliier 
iim(ili;4-  dill'  ;il'clii\('>. 

Il  (locrilic-  llic  lir-l  Ni-lt  df  \/,\  Snilc  Id  \\'<'>ti'i'ii  New 
^  d|'i<,  lli;i(lc  ill  l(!(il*.  ItcI'dPc  lie  li;i(l  ;ic(|iiirc(l  llic  I'ciiiiWIl 
wliicli  III-  viili.-c(|iiciil  ;i(l\ciil  lire-  ;iii<l  c.\ | >ldr;i i  idii>  jif- 
(i.\c(l  Id  lii-  n;iuic.  The  |)c<i|i|c  he  \'I-ili'tl  were  oiir 
('.■ii'l\-    iiciuhlMd'-.      Tlic\'    met    him    in    cdiiiieil.    .-pdhiHlie 

s;,   lie   ]iceull;ir   1  ;i  11  ul  |;i  L;'e   We    h;i\('    >d    dllcll     lieiird     in    dill" 

sli'cci-.  mid  exhiMled  iii;iii\    df  ihc  eu>ldiii.-  iind  iiiiiniicrs 

W  llieii    e\cli    iidW    |)rc\;ii|   ;im(,|i'.;    I  11  ci  T  (h 'SeelK  I'l  1 1 1  S. 

The  iii;i|)  Miiiiexed  lo  ihc  jdiirii;d.  r<»ims  ;iii  iiil  ere>l  ini;- 
illll.-l  r:il  id!i  dl  ihe  klid\\le(lM'c  ;ie(|iiirei|  Ii\'  (he  ]i;irl\.  <>! 
llie  I'drm  ;iiid  .-i/.e  dl'  ihe  Xdi'ili  Aiiicric'iiii  Lakes  duriiiL;' 
llieir  jdiiii'  ]iidiicer  Noviiijc  rroiii  Mdiili'eal  lo  llicSaiill 
Ste  Marie.  The  ed|)\'  which  1  (dilaiiicd  is  i\  Jar  sii/li/>;  n\' 
tlu'  driuiiial,  and  measures  4'  feel  in  leiiulli,  li\  2'.  feel 
in    In-cadlii.        Il     is    coN'eii'cl    willi     lln.'    aniiolal  itjiis    dl" 


■I 


0 

diiliiuM',  iii((-il\'  iiiNrrlcd.  X)  its  lo  l)c  rcihl  diiK'  \'y<<\\\  \]\r 
iioi'lh  ^itlc,  iiwiiiLi"  to  liis  sl;iii(l  [luiiii  Ix'iiii:',  ^\  licii  lie 
(Irt.'W  il,  I'll  the  C;ili;i(li;ill  side  of  tlic  (Il'cill  L;ik('.-.  look- 
ill  H'  io\\;i|-(ls  tlic  >olllll.  I  I  li;l>  lic\cr  \('i  I  )rc  11  ]»uMi>llc(l. 
lull  will  nii(loiiliit'(il\-  111'  r('[iro(liicc(l  ;niioiiu'  Mr.  M;ir 
_i:-r\'"s  lepers. 

Till'  llli--ioli;irii'S  ;il  l;icllc(l  lo  |li('  cx  pcd  i  I  ioll,  Wrvr 
Frniu'ois  DolliiT  dc  (";i»oii,  itiul  Wrwr  de  IJrclmTit  dc 
(!;iliiirc,  l)otli  ;ill;Kdicd  lo  1  lie  ( )rd('r  of  St.  Siilpicc.  'riio 
loniMT  li;id  Ix'i'ii  ;i  (';i\';ilr\  olVlri'i'  iiiidrr  Nr;ir>li,il  Tiircniic. 
Al  till'  (hllc  of  lliis  cxpcdil  ion,  lie  \\;is  nUoiit  U)  \r;n's 
old,  ;iiid  Snpi'i'ior  of  ilic  S(Miiiii;ir\-  iicloiiLi'iiiL;'  to  his 
()r(l('r  Ml  Moii!r(';t].  I[(>  \\;is  ;i  iiian  ol'  coiiiiimiidiiiL;- 
prcx'iu'c  .■iiid  Ii'IimI  coiir.-iu'c.  ol'  wliicli  he  liml  u'ix-cii 
proofs  ill  t lie  i';iiirp;iiL;ii  of  ( io\i'i'iior  Courccllcs  au'aiiist 
tlio  Mohawks  ill   I  iil)(!. 

His  stn'ii^th  was  so  prodii:ioii,-.  ihal  he  was  >aid  lo  he 
alilc  to  carry  Iwo  tucii,  >iiiiiii:-,  one   in  each  hand. 

(jalinrc,  ihf  hi-loriaii  of  ihc  cnlrrprisc,  was  ^kill(■ll  'n 
llic  AlLi'oiikiii  toii;L;ii(  .  and  had  no  lilllc  rcpulalioii  as  .i 
siiiW('\'or  and  aslroiionicr.  IFc  coidd  consiriu't  a  charl 
of  liis  traN'rls  tiiroiiuh  the  w  ildci'iios,  so  as  lo  1h"  aMc  lo 
rclract,'   his  waw 

liolh  pric.-ls  wrrc  ardent  and  zealous  for  iho  coiiNcr- 
sioii  of  the  North  Ainrriean  Indians  lo  the  Konian  failn, 
and  liad  lonu'  licoi  wailiii;  for  sonic  fa\'oral)h,!  op])or- 
limil\',  lopciiclralc.  for  that  piir[)osc,  tiic  \a.-l  and  as 
yc'.  iincxplorcil  rcuions  of  ilic  wc>l. 

Do  La  Salic,  then  .2(1  years  old.  had  resided  in  Canada 
al>()ut  (lircc  years,  and  llie  (»[)[>orlunities  he  had  eiijo\-c(l 
for  inlcrcoui's(»  with  llic  lro(piois  and  other  western 
tribes,    will)    were   acciistoiued    to   visit,   ^loiitreal  for  the 


1 


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4 


1 


i)m'|t(i>('>  nl' I  r;i(l('.  li;i<l  llol  Ix'cli  li('i;lccli'(|.  I''l(>lii  tlirlli 
lie  li;i(l  li(';ir(l  of  llic  ()lii<>,  llic  Mi»i>-i ] »|»i/"'  and  ol'  tlic 
1k>uii(11('ss  fdrcsls  iiiul  |)rairi('-  tln'oiiLi'li  w  liicli  tlic}-  flowed, 
tcciuiiiu'  willi  u'ainc  and  llic  I'm'  Ix'ariiiL;'  ainiiials.  Tlicx' 
liad  l(tld  Inni  of  llic  \asl  lakc<.  as  yet  niiiia\iL;aled  save 
lt\'  llieir  iVail  eaiioe^,  dii  the  liordcrs  (»!'  winch  were  iii- 
<'.\liau>t  ililc  iiiiiic>,  yicldiiii;'  llie  lieliol  di'o  dl"  iron  and 
c'(i])])cr. 

1  lis  iniaLjinatioii  kindled  at  llic  I'ccital,  and  so  i;Teal 
was  liis  ainltit  ion  to  aeconiplisli  Ins  laN'oritc  olijcci,  llial 
lie  sold  llic  possessions  he  had  ac(|iiirc(l  in  Canada,  to 
vcali/.c  the  means  for  dclVayinu'  the  exjx'iiscs  of  an  expe- 
dition to  test   ihc  inith  of  the  Indian  imrrations. 

J*]iic()iiraL;'e(l  li\  the  pat  roiiai^c  of  ('onrccllo  the 
(loNcniof,  and  Talon  the  Inteiidani  of  Canada,  who 
were  la\i>li  of  all  except  peenniai'x'  aid.  he  rooKcil  to 
ascend  the  St.  Lawrence,  and  pa>sinL;'  throiiuli  the  chain 
ofWcstcl'li  Lak'cs,  to  seek  Col'  theuTcat  ri\'cr.  ihal.  Iia\'- 
ini;'  its  source  in  tin,'  Irofpiois  cduntry,  flowed,  accordiiio' 
to  Indian  authority,  into  a  far  distant  sea,  and  which 
Chainplain  and  L'lvscarl)ot  had  coiilideiitl\-  hoped  nii^hl 
l>e  the  W('>terl\"  Toad  to  China  :nid  .lapaii. 

Ill  the  suininer  of  1  (!(!9,  La  vSalle  oriianizcd,  with  the 
two  Siil[»icians,  a  Join!  expedition  to  accomplish  llieir 
scxcral  purposes  the  former  to  prosecute  his  discoN'- 
ories  in  llii'  \\c--t,and  the  missioiiarie.-  lo  l»a[)li/,e  into  the 
lloiiian    faith,  the  neoiiliNtcs   the\'  should  seciiro   ainoiiLi' 

'It.  O 

the  sedeiitarv  and  nomad  trdx's  found  in  llic  \'alle\'.s  of 
the  Ohio,  the  Mississippi  and  the  Lakes. 

AVheii  every  thing  was  I'eady  foi'  a   speedy  de[)arliire, 

*'rii('  Mis^issi]i])i  was  iiJIiuh'il  to  %  iiiiim  in  llic  ,Ic-uit   I'ctatidiw  ,'i<  (.'arly  iis 
lllTO.      It;  outlet  was  tlicii  Mippiiscd  to  he  in  the  "Florida  Sra." 
IJrlation  ntro-l,  jip.  '.):•).  i44  and  \"). 


'I 


s 

(lie  unrortiiiinlc  iiss;issiii;il  imi  of  mi  Ir(>(|ii(ii-<  cliid'  hv 
llircc  French  soldier-  ;il  Mdiitrciil.  dcliiiiKMl  ilwiii  lil'iccii 
(l;iys,  and  llii'calciicd  a  I'ciicwal  of  llic  war  w  liicli  liad 
just  llioi.  liai)[)ily  Ici'iiiiiiatcil.  The  cxccul  ioi,  <>['  llu^ 
,ii'iii]fy  soidici's  e.\[)ial(Ml  ihcir  {'riiiic,  and  pi'dpil  iatrd  the 
orfciidcd  Ir(t(|ii()is.  All  Irar  oC  I'cprisals  Immiil;'  alla\('d, 
llic  pai'ty  left  I. a  CliiiK;'"'  on  tlic  (Jlli  da\-  of  .lid\-  La 
Salh'willi  [')  men  in  lour  canoes,  and  Do  Ca-son  and 
(lalincc,  with  s('\-cn  men  in  t]irc(,'  canoes,  e-co!!i'(|  hv 
two  olhei-  canoes  conlaininu'  a  ])artv  of  Seneca^  who  had 
l)eeii  (he  i^aiots  of  La  Salle  in  Monlieal.  dnrini;'  ihe  prc- 
cedin,^•  winler.  They  a.-cendcd  the  St.  Lawrence, 
threadini;-  the  inli-ica(e  ciiannels  lornied  1)\-  l he  Thousand 
islands,  cai'ryinii'  theii'  canoes  and  cITeels  ai'onml  \h^i 
nuinei'(His  and  dilVicnll  ])oi'tai;-('S  lliev  mel  on  iIh'  \\;\\\ 
and  at  lenu'tli,  afler  27  days  of  incessant  (oil,  in  \\  liicli 
t  he\'  sullei'ed  se\-ei'ely  from  di:-ease  and  exposni-o.  ihey 
reached  I  he  hi'oad  cApanse  of  Lake  Ontario.  CoasliiiL;' 
.alonL;'  its  southeiai  shoi'e.  ihey  landed  on  the  Jdth  da\-  of 
Au^ii'ust,  at  the  moiilli  of  h'ondecjuoit  IJay,  I'onr  nnles 
oast  of  the  (leiu'see  i'i\-ei'.  This  Kav  was,  in  earlv  linu's, 
the    i)i-inci[)al    ronle    l»y    wliieli    ihe    Senecas    were    ac- 

*."^o  (■.■i11<h1,  ])i'iii;i|w  in  ilci'i-idi),  lV.>iii  its  liciiiu,-  Uidi'  siippd-rd  >hii't  iiiii' 
]iniiit  tor  CJiina.      P,ni(  I.r  .Icimc,  Superior  of  tjic  .Ic-uii  ini->i(,iw  in  ( ■;m;i(l;i, 

ill  a   IcUcI'  I'ri.ui  (^)uciirc  il:|l,(l   Sept     lOlli,    HMO,  ujvcs  ;l    curii.ll^  ;|ccMiinl   of  ;lll 

■■I'li'i'ipt  on  liic  p:ii-|  of  ;in  MiiLiii-lun.'m,  ;i<-i'oiiip;niiiMl  li\-  II  ^in'.^'.c  -ci-vnnl  iind 
;i  party  of  .\licnal-i'  Inili:in>,  lo  ci-o-v  ihc  Aniniciin  ('(nitinciit  in  >caivli  of  a 
norllnvc-t  pa.->ai:c  to  tli.'  -r,i.  He  iirrivcd  al  (.^iicIht  on  ilic  •,>ltlHla\-  of  .Iniic 
1(!4().      'I'lic    (Jov.rnor    conipclica    liini     to    I'ciui'n     lo    lOnuland.       liclatioii 

UiaiMo,  ]).  la.'). 

It  was  till'  fav(n'itc  lidii'T  ol^  ilic  caily  tra\clri-s  in  Ainrrica/i,  lliat  an  over- 
land foiitc  to  (  liina  was  pfaclicalilc.  !.  I.c  ('icfc(|  l-:tal)liv-.,an(  lit  (ic  la  l-'oi, 
p.   I'.t.'i. 

FalhiT  Viinont  says  iliat  tlir  .Ii -uii  ■•  iiaymhault,  dc-imicd  to  'j:n  lo  Cjiina 
acfoss  the  .Vnierieaii  wilderiie-^.  A///  ^V-./ ,v, ////////-<-/,  ///,  mail  <n  Imir, ,,."  lie 
died  at  tlu'  Saiit  de  Sle.   Atai'ie.  in  nill.      Helalion  K'llv':!,  p.  •,>;!. 


4  W 


, 


9 

t'listoiiicd  t(»  ]);iss  liclwccii  tlicii'  villiin'cs  and  the  lake, 
'riici'c  was  a  [)()i'taL;o  Irom  llic  licad  of"  tlic  l)av,  aci'os.s  to 
tlic  (Iciiescc  rivci-,  striking-  ilic  latter  above  the  falls  at 
Ivoeheslci',  whicli  allordiHl  a  much  shoi'tcf  and  iiioi'e 
convenient  ronte  to  tlie  u|)})er  waters  of  the  (ienesee, 
ami  lo  llie  sonrees  of  the  Ohio,  than  1)V  asceiidini!'  the 
clnmnel  thi'ouii'h  ils  mouth. 

Tlie  hay  is  lli'st  noticed  on  the  map  annexed  to  the 
Jesuit  Relalion  pul)lished  in  1G()(),  and  is  IVequently  al- 
Imled  to  in  suhsefiiuMit  narratives  oC  eai'lv  ^vesl<'i'n  ex- 
ploi'alion.  A  loiM  was  l)uilt  by  th(.'  Fi-eiich  on  the  sandy 
bai'  at  its  nnmlli.  soon  after  the  commeneemeid  of  the  last 
cenlury.  and  ajipi'opi'iatidy  called  '' Fort  des  Sables." 
It  does  not  appear  lo  have  been  pernninenlly  garrisoned, 
its  site  beiiio',  for  a  long  time,  (lebatal)le  ground  l>etweeii 
the  French  ami  the  Knglish.  The  latter  oblained  a  deed 
from  lh(.' Scnecas  in  1741,  of  a  ])arallelogram  bounding 
on  llie  lake,  (Mnl)i'aeiiig  within  its  limits  the  whole  of  !]u3 
bay,  and  exlemlinii-  inland  to  the  depth  of  thirlv  miles. 
l)enon\ilie  hunhMl  in  the  bay,  and  conslrueted  on  it.s 
shore  a  (lefensi\-e  work  h)r  the  ])roteclion  of  his  boats, 
when  on  his  eelel»raled  ex[)ediii()n  against  the  Senecas 
in  lOiST." 

At  the  date  of  La  Salle's  visit,  the  whole  of  the  ]>rc- 
sent  State  of  New  Yoi'k,  was  a  dense  and  unbroken 
wilderness,  ils  soil  untilled  by  tin;  white  nmn,  and  its 
Ibi'est  recesses  unex[)lor('d,  save  by  the  Jesuits  in   their 

*'rii(' Si'iicra  name  of  this  l)ay,  cornipt'Ml  by  the  Kniilisli  iiiti)  "Irondc- 
(lUdil"  ami  "(icruiKk'U'iil,"  I'lirnishcs  an  interest iiiii'  illustration  of  the  Indian 
custom  of  hestowinii'  siunitieant  names  iipon  ])rominent  localities,  Tlicy  call 
il  "()  nyiii-(la-on-(la  u'wat,"  the  word  beinu' C()mp')unde(l  of  "Ga-nyiu-da-eh," 
lake,  and  "O-da-u'wah,"  il  turns  aside.  Liierally,  "the  lake  turns  aside,"  or 
forms  a  bay,  an  etymoloLiieid  compound,  analai^ous  lo  the  Em;lish  term 
"  indel." 


10 

iiiissiMiiiiry  (Mitci'prix's.  mihI  llic  Fivudi  and  Diildi,  from 
Moiili'i'.-il  ;iii(l  Fort  (^raiiLic,  in  lln'ir  pro-cciil  ion  of  llic 
iiir  li'adc.  The  lro(|nt»is  Iriltcs  were  of  a  scdciilary 
<'li;irac(ci',  and  llic  alluvial  Ixijtonis  williiii  the  nciuli- 
l»or])ood  and  prolcci  ion  of  llicii'  \dllaL;v'.<,  xiddcd  lo 
ll"'ii'  nidc  cnltiNalion,  I'icli  I'clni'iis  of  niai/.c,  hcans, 
s(|uash('s  and  melons,  liii'nisliin^L;'  ain[)l('  I'ood  loi-  thcii' 
snbsislcncc.'''" 

Thcii'  \illa,n'('s,  foiii'  in  nnmlici-,  were  al]  oasl  of  tlic 
(Icin'-cc  Hi\-('r.  The  lari^'ol.  called  0(i-o-sa-('li-(i<i-(nih, 
ocenpied  wlial  lias  since  heen  known  as  l)oni:lilon  Hill, 
ill  <)iil:ii'i')  CouiMy,  jnsi  soiUli  of  \"  ieloi'  Slal  ion,  on  llio 
Ceiilral  llailroad,  and  midway  l)el  ween  IJoeiiesier  and 
C;iii:imlaii;'ua.  'I'he  seeoinl  in  impoi'lanee,  De  iju  di  haak- 
(loh.  uas  in  a  lai-ii'e  ImmkI  of  the  II(nieo\-o  outlet,  in 
ritXttiistnti  (.onnly,  alxmi  ten  miles  sontli  ol'  Iloelieste"-. 
The  third,  <lil-]Hi>>-]mhfi('}i^  was  nearly  lour  miles  southeast, 
of  Victor,  and  the  fourth,  Dt'-o-ilon-Hoi,  liv(.'  ndles  south- 
east of  Avon  Spi'in^u's,  at  the  source  of  the  little  Coiu'sns 
{'I'cek.  These  four  \-illaL;'es  foriiKMl,  as  il  were,  tlu; 
Jingles  of  a  uearly  I'iuht  anu'led  iiarallelou'ram,  the  two 
nearest  Lake  Ontario  l)ein_u'  al)out  IS  ndles  s(»uthei'lv 
lliei'clrom.  The  corrc^[»ondinu'  Mohawk  names  of  these; 
four  villag'es.  as  wi'itteii  liy  Demmville,  \\-ei't>  ( Jannau'ai'o, 
Totiaklo,  Gannou'arae  and  (lannouiiata.-f 

•'Tiic  Swedish  ii.-Mni'ali-l  Kulni.  w  lio  li'.'ivcllcd  cMcnsiwly  in  North  Amcric;! 
in  K48-)t,  says,  Uial  "iiiai/,c,  iviitncv  beans,  piuiipiiaN,  -qiia-he-,  Li'oui'ds, 
" -watonnelons  and  niu-kiiieloiis  were  euliivaleil  hy  ihe  Indians  Ion--  lieforc 
"the  aiTJval  <.)[  Knfoiieans."  Kahn's  Tfavels.  Vol.  1 1 1.,  I'.  'J!).").  I'ossihly 
the  seeds  or  some  of  tliese  ffuiis  wefe  intfodueed  ainonLi-  the  naii\i's  ii\lli(! 
Jesuits,  eai'ly  in  tiie  ITtli  (Vnliii-y,  and  heini;'  fnimd  hy  -.uh-eiiuenl  liaNedefs, 
were  siip|)()sed  hy  tlieni  to  lie  iniliLicnoiis. 

■fSee  an  account  ol'  tlie  location  of  these  vilhiv.-  and  of  llieii'  idcniilicalion 
hy  tlie  author,  ill  llie  x^coml  Ndhiini'  of  llie  N.  V.iliMorical  Cotleetions, 
secoint  series,   p.    h")S. 


\ 


li 

Tlic  (\'ii'li('>l  recorded  \i>ii  m.-ide  t()  lliesu  \-ill;iL:'es  l.\- 
tilt'  while  liijili,  \\;i-;  llijil  (if  I-\'illier  C'liilUliioliol ,  in  llie 
l;i(ter  ]i:irt  of  KJ.K!,  ihirleell  \-e;ir.s  lielure  I  lie  ex  |  )edi  1  ion 
of  I.;i  S;dle."- 

'l  'li<l  ii*»t  i'e>uit  in  ;iny  peininnenl  mission  .-inioni;'  llie 
SenecMs,  as  li(,'  reni.'MiH'd  l»nl  a  slioiM  lime  in  llieir  eoun- 
lr\'.  The  \\  ai's  ' 'len  lauini;-  l»e|\ve(>ii  ihe  lro(|ii(»is  and 
their  savaii'e  iieiuhhors,  were  wlmlly  ineonipalilth.'  w  ilh 
missionary  enterprises. 

•l  ^\'as  nol  iiniil  llnjyear  KWh.  llial  the  Jesuils  made 
I't'rnninenI  arranu'ements  for  the  cidlure  of  tliis  new  and 
I't'iiiol''  held.  in  .Jnl\-  of  llial  year,  Falliers  Fremiii, 
l*i»'i'i'<Mi  and  IJrnyas,  lefi  (^)nel)ec  jor  llie  Iroquois  coun- 
try.  .They  were  detained  on  iheii'  way  for  moi'e  than  a 
inonlli  at  Foi'l  Si.  Anne,  on  ihe  outlet  of  Lake  Cham- 
plain,  ihi'ouLth  leal'  of  ihe  Mohegaiis,  then  on  a  raid 
a^u'ainsl  the  Molia\\l<s.  Theii'  alarm  liavini;'  subsided, 
they  lel'l  the  fori  on  the  2od  ofAui^-iisl,  and  ai'rived  at 
"  (Jan  da-oua  ,u'e,'"  a  Mohaw  k  villai^'i;  which  had  witnessetl 
the  lahoi's  and  death  of  the  Jesiiil  mai'!)-]'  .Tou'uo, 
Iweiity-one  year>  iiefore.  Here  Freniin  and  Pierrou  uow 
cslal)lished  lhemsel\-es  in  llieir  missionarv  work.  Father 
IJruyas  jiassed  on  lo  Oneida,  whci'e  ho  ai'rixed  in  Scp- 
teudier,  ami  was  soon  aftei-  joined  1)V  Garuiei'. 

But  another  (ield  farlhei'  west,  was  calliiii^' for  laborers, 
and  Ciarnier,  in  oliediencu  lo  llu,^  summ(_)iis,   lell   Idr  the 

*S(>iiic  Anicrican  lii-lori;nis  lire  (if  the  opiniiiii  llial  Cliamplain,  in  ]i\<  v\- 
prdilioii  a^aiii-l  llic  InKiiiois  in  KU.-j,  l;,,,!  j,,.i„,.  |,,  .,  .Sciicca  villauc  llicii 
siliialrd  (111  Uic  wc-l  vi,l,.  ,,|  Caiiaiulaimia  I.akc.  1)(k-,  llisl(ir\-  nf  X,  \., 
\'(il.  lit,,  ]).  10.  Chainplaiiis  works,  \)ii(licc  (iliiioh,  p.  .V^'S.  J|  a]ipcar.- lo 
'Ik'  :ni!liiir,  (HI  a  carcriil  cxaiiiiiialidn  of  ( 'iiaiiiplaiir>-  journal  and  map, 
lli:il  lie  cainc  11(1  fiirtlicr  wc^l  ilian  OiKiiidaga  Lake.  .*>(■'•  >s'.  V.  I  li-'(irica! 
I'rocccdings,  ISllt.  p.  lie,. 


il 


■P 


12 


Central  Canton  of  till!  ()ii()ii(lii^i;;is,  uIkmc  lie  was  joined 
l)y  two  new  recruits,  Millet'"'  and  Caiheij,  in  Oetolter  of 
the  follow ini;'  year. 

LeaA'in^i;'  Millet  at  Ononda^ua,  Carlieil  pi'oceeded  west- 
ward to  Cayn,^■a,  wluM'e  lie  arrived  in  Novc'inher,  1GG8, 
and  remained  in  niissionaiy  work  for  se\-eral  \-eai's,  hut 
was  linall)-  driven  out  tlii'ou,^li  the  influence  of  the 
hau^L!-hty  '^  O-re-ouadie,"  otherwise  called  ^' l.a  Crand 
Gueje/'  He  spent  si.xty  years  ol'  niissionai-y  life  anion^' 
the  Indians,  and  died  in  (,)iiel)ee  in  ]72G. 

Missions  liavinu'  thus  heen  established  in  tin;  four 
eastei'n  Cantons  of  the  li'oijuois,  the  S(Miecas,  the  most 
})0|)ulous  and  wai'like  of  the  conlederacy,  desirous  of 
sharini;'  in  the  sann^  religious  advantages,  sent  a  deputa- 
tion of  their  most  in.lluenlial  chiels  to  Montreal  in  Xo- 
Acinber,  1(j68,  asking  the  Jesuits  to  s(,'nd  unssionaries  to 
theii-  villau'cs. 

Th(^  i-equest  was  promptly  <;'raiited,  for  when  was 
such  an  ap[)eal  ever  nnide  to  ;i  Jesuit  in  vain.  They 
selected  Father  Freniin,  who  had  now  s[)ent  a,  year 
among  the  Mohawks,  for  the  new  mission,  ami  he  was 
soon  on  his  way  to  the  country  of  the  lierce  and  hau'dil  v 
Senecas,  leaving  Pi(;ri'ou  to  conduct,  single  hand(Ml,  the 
former  mission.  He  arrived  at  •' Tsonnontonan '"f  on 
the  iirst  day  of  Xovend)ei-,  1G68,  in  the  uudst  of  a  I'aging 
epidemic,  wdiich  was  so  destructive,  that  he  was  (;l)li"'ed 
to  summon  Father  Carnier   from  Onondaga    to  his  aid 

*M\l\v{,  coiilinucd  at  Onomla-'a  until  1071.  He  was  tlicn  IrauslVrnM]  lo 
Oneida,  wlicrc  lie  remained  until  1084,  when  he  returned  to  Canada.  He 
was  talsen  prisoner  ni'ar  Fort  Frontenae  liy  the  Oneilas  in  HIS'I,  but  his 
life  was  saved  through  his  ado]ition  liy  a  s([ua\v.  He  linallv  succeeded  in 
(il)taining-  his  release,  and  returned  to  (Juelx'c  in  l(i!)t.  Father  Charlevoix 
saw  him  in  IT'J^,  an-i  sjieaks  of  him  in  terms  of  the  Inghest  consideration. 

jThis  was  the  general  name  of  the  Seneca  countiy.     See  Aijpendi.v. 


i:; 


Kn'iiiiii  clinsc  for  liis  roidciicc  llic  \  illa^iM)!' (l;iii doii- 
<;-ii-i.  (',"■  silii;i!(Ml  on  tile  hniik's  of  n  slrt'.'iiii  now  kiu)\vii 
iis  Mnd  Creek,  neiirly  Iniii-  miles  sonllieasi  of  \'ic't()r,  a 
isilc  wliicli  unlil  (piite  recenlly,  bort;  many  evidences  of 
InruKT  Indian  ()een|.aney.  lie  lliei'e  founded  the  mis- 
sion of  St.  Mieliael,   in   wliieli   he  eoiitilllied  to    kaliol'  until 

icn. 

(lai'nier  located  at  the  \-illau'e  called  l.y  the  Mol'awks 
(Jan-dachi-ra  ,i^'ou,  desci'ilx-d  on  pai^-i;  10  as  Ga-o-sa-eh- 
ga-itah  in  Seneca,  situated  on  what  is  now  known  as 
J)ou,nliton  Hill,  wheiH!  he  I'einained  until  1G83.  Henno- 
[)iii  saw  him  thei-e  in  KhO,  at  the  time  iie^'otiatious  were 
instilul.'d  with  the  Seiiccas  in  hehalf  of  La,  Salle,  for 
|)ennis.sion  to  l)uild  ;i  t'oi't  or  storehouse  ou  tluj  Niagara, 
and  a  vessel  aliove  tlu'  l"\dls. 

These  missions  l»einu'  thus  fully  estal)li.-,hed,  l'\ither 
Frenun,  as  Su[)ei'ior,  called  a  g'cucral  council  of  all  the 
.lesuils  lahorini;-  in  them,  to  meet:  at,  Oiionda^i^'a  for  con- 
sultation as  to  the-  hest  means  foi'  promoting'  their  mis- 
sionary work,  or,  in  the  language  of  Father  JJruyas, 
"  for  advancing  the  salvation  of  souls,  the  glorv  of  God 
"and  the  lro((Uois  Missions.'' 

They  a,ssond)led  on  tin;  29tli  day  of  August,  1GG9,  iu 
full  council.  Fremin  left  ihc  Seneca  ^lission  of  St. 
Michael  to  attend  the  convocation  ou  tli(3  tentli  day  of 
the  same  month,  tlie  very  day  that  the  expedition,  under 
Lii  Salle  and  the  two  Sulpicians,  landed  at  Ironde([Uoit 
iiay,  as  l)efoi'(^  stat(Ml,  on  their  way  to  (iannngaro^  or  St. 
.James,  on  ])oughtou  Ilill.f 

The  avowed  ohj'eet  of  La  Salle  and  his  companion.-,  in 

*Sr('  pa^c  U)  wliiTc  il  is  called  OaniKiizarac. 
fJcsiiit  [{clatinn  Kiru,  p.  T."),  Canaila  Fdilidii. 


u 


vi>iliii,i;'  lli(!  Sciicciis,  was  to  oWtain  a  i;iii(lr  coiniiclciil  lo 
coiidiicl.  tliciii  lLii-(»iigli  tin;  unknown  wildcrnc-s  lli;it  lay 
l)etW"(Mi  tlu'if  vi'.la^-cs  and  the  soni'ccs  of  the  Ohio.  'I'lic 
unfortnnalc  ah-cncc  of  Frcmin  and  (larnici-  at  ihc  Onon- 
dai^'a  Conncil  dui'lnu'  all  the  lime  of  ihcir  visil,  was  un- 
(lon!)l(Mlly  ihc  principal  cause  o(  llic  failure  ol'llie  c.xiie- 
dilion,  as  they  were  tli(:  only  individuals  wlio  had  a 
knowh'di;-*'  of  ihc  Indian  lan^aiauc,  sullicicnl  lo  enable 
them  to  interprel  helween  the  French  and  the  Senecas. 
Th(3i-e  is  li'ood  i'ea>on  Ibr  ihc  hcliel'lhat  lhc\-  wcrealiseni 
l»y  dcsiiin.  La  Salle  had  Ibrniei'ly  hccii  a  uuMnher  of 
iheir  Ordei',  l)ut  had  I'csiiined  Kelbre  he  came  to 
Amci'ica,  its  rii^id  disci[)line  ami  ascetic  xows  not  har- 
im)ni/inL;-  with  his  I'cslless  and)ition  and  lo\col'advenlure. 
Although  he  was  cnyaii-ed  for  twenty  years  in  n'estcM'n 
explorations,  IVccpu'nlly  mcetini;;'  the  Jesuits  in  his 
travels  and  visiting  them  in  their  missions,  there  is  not, 
in  ;dl  the  twent;,  volumes  ol  their  delations  published 
during  that  pei'iod,  a  single  allusion  to  his  name  oi'  lo 
any  of  his  discoveries.  While  the  (M'illin  ^vas  building 
at  the  UKJuth  of  the  Cayuga  Creek,  La  Salh^  was  travers- 
ing the  Niagai-a,  and  the  borders  of  Lake  Ontario,  hold- 
ing councils  with  the  Senecas  in  the  ^•illages  in  \\  liich 
the  Jesuits  were  established,  yet  they  omitted  to  I'ecord 
in  their  writings,  the  slightest  nolic(!  of  his  pi'escnee  or 
rel'erencc  to  his  entei-pi'ises.  There  can  be  no  satisfac- 
tory explanation  of  all  this,  excei)t  the  jealousv  enter- 
tained  by  the  Order,  of  one  uho  had  withdi'awn  iVom 
their  communion,  and  boldly  undertaken  an  independent 
part  in  IIkj  ex[)loi-ation  and  development  (4"  ;i  country 
which  they  had  appi'opriat(,'d  as  their  own  peculiar  held 
of  labor. 


1 


|!i 


1") 


1 


Tlicrc  also  cxislcd  wo  litllc  jealousy  hclwccii  llic 
Jcsuils  and  llic  Siil|)iciaiis,  which  uiKh^uhtcilK'  liad  its 
iii{hi(Mi('('  ill  prcvciiliiii;'  tlic  success  of  aii\-  eiitei[iriM'  in 
which  the  latter  were  eng'ai'-ed. 

The  tinn'  chosen  hy  La  Salle  and  his  companions  was 
deemed  l'avoraI)le  lor  fheii'  \isit  to  tin;  Seni'cas,  the 
I'^reiu'li  aiul  li'o(|Uois  heinu'  "ow  at  peace,  ami  the  Jesuits 
estal)lished  in  li.\(Hl  missi(jns,  in  all  the  Cantons  ol'  the 
Fiv(>  Nations,  as  heforc  state(l. 

These  pi'dinnnai'v  I'eimirks,  end)racini;'  a  few  pei'sonal 
sketches  of  the  lea>(el's  of  tlu'  expedition,  and  chai'actel'- 
istics  ol'  tin.'  Indians  the\'  eneountered,  some  notices  of 
the  country  into  which  they  so  l)oldly  entered,  and  of 
the  missions  which  had  already  Ixmmi  estahlished.  aiH^ 
(h'cmed  [xTtineiit.  as  an  iidi'oduetion  to  the  Journal  of 
rialiiKM'. 

in  the  t  I'anslation  which  Collows,  I  ha\-e  adlu'red  as 
closely  to  the  oi'i,i;iiial  as  the  ohscui'c  and  anli(piated 
l'"'rencli  in  wdiich  it  is  wi'itlen  would  adinii. 


EXTUACT  FUOM  TilK  .loriJXAI.  OF  (lALINKi:. 
"  After  thirty-live  days  of  veiy  dillicult  navigatit)n,  we 
jirrived  at  a  small  river  called  1)V  the  Imlians  "  Kai'cuita- 
,U'ouat,"""  which  is  the  nearest  point  on  the  lak(>  to  '"Son- 
uontouan,"'  and  about  one  hundred  Icao'ucs  southwest 
of  JMonti'eal.  I  took  tlu;  latitude  of  this  place  on  the 
2Gth  of  Au,u'ust,  lGt')D,  with  my  .]aeol)s(air.;|;  As  T  had  a 
very  tine  hoi'izon  on  the  iioi'th,  no  land,  but  the  open 
lake,  beini;'  visible  iti  that  direction,  i  took  the-altitude 
on  that  side  as  beini^'  the  least  liable  to  error, 

*'Pli('  Mohawk  name  lur  Ii-oiulniiiiiit  Hay. 

\\   .Taci)listair  was  a  riulc  gradualcd  in^irmiiciil    with   ni'ivcahlc  iiidcxt-s, 
WM'd  hctuix'  Ihi'  invention  ol'  the  (luadianl  hv  lladlcv. 


1(5 


'  l"'llllil  (lie  Sim  t(.  l.c  (lisliilil  .'};}"  iVdlll  llic  xcllilll,  lo 
w  licli  I  lidded  ]{)'  ]'2'  lor  ils  im.imIi  dccliimiion  (,ii  ili;ii, 
day.  The  ('(|iiiii()cii;il  wus  round  lo  Ix.  disiimi  fion,  il,,; 
/('  lilll,  ;iiid  C'oiiS(M|ii(Milly  llir  Arctic  I'olc  clc\;ilcd  ;il.ov(' 
111"  lioi'i/oii  ill  this  i)l;ic(',  III"  I'j',  wliich  is  its  ti'iic  liiti- 
liidc,  ;iiid  ;i,L;rccs  (jiiiic  well  with  the  l:iiitii(h'  wliich  I 
foiiiid  ill  estiiiiiitiii^'  the  points  ol  compjiss  we  h;id  nin 
()\'i'i',  ;iL:reeal)ly  to  tlie  iisa^'e  of  s;iilors,  w  ho  ai'e  iie\-er 
without  knowh'd^v  of  their  position,  altiioimli  (leslitiil(! 
of  an  iiistniiiient  willi  wliich  to  t;ike  an  ol»ser\  atioii. 

U  e  liad  no  sooner  arrived  in  this  phice  timn  we  were; 
vi-^ilcd  Iiy  ;i  iiiiiiiIxT  of  Indians,  who  came  to  iiial^e  us 
siiiall  pres(3!its  of  Indian  corn,  pniiipl<ins,  I.lackl)  Tries 
an  1  whorlleberiaes,  fruits  of  which  they  had  an  ahiiiid- 
aiicc.  We  made  i)resents  in  I'duiai.  ol  kiii\-es,  awls, 
needles,  ohiss  beads  and  other  .art  icies  wliicli  the\-  pi'ize, 
and  with  whicli  we  were  well    pi'ovided. 

Our  guides  ui'geil  us  to  remain  in  this  |)lace  until  tlu; 
next  day,  as  (he  chiefs  would  not  fail  to  coim.'  in  the 
e\-eiii!ig  with  pi'o\isions  to  escort  us  'o  the  village. 

Ill  lact  uight  liad  no  sooner  come,  than  a  large  troop 
of  Indian-;,,  with  ;i  numh.'r  ol  women  loaded  with  pi'o- 
visions,  arrived  and  eiicami)ed  U(jar  hy,  and  made  for  us 
bread  of  Indian  corn  and  IVuits."^'  They  did  not  di'sire  to 
.SMcak  to  us  in  regular  council,  l>ut  told  us  we  were  e\- 
])ected  in  the  village,  lo  evei-y  cabin  of  which  woi'd  had 
boeu  seut,  to  gatlier  all  the  old  men  at  a,  coum-il  wliicli 
would  l)e  held  for  the  purpose  of  ascertaining  the  object 
of  our  visit. 

M.  Bollier,  M.  de  La   Salle  and  mvself,   ciuisulled   to- 

*TiioliHliiiiis  dry  fniii  in  ilic  sun  and  pul  it   in  llicir  ])\vm\,  cool^ini;-  it   in 
till'  aslu's.     .^auai'd  voyau'c,  l».  nil. 


X 


I 


' 


X 


I 


' 


;^^('i1i<T,  ill  i«r,I(>r  ti»  (I'lrrMiiiic  in  wli;il  in;iiiiici   \V(>  -lioiilil 

iH'l,      wllllt      W'     sIkMiM     urt'T     In)'     |  H'l'.-cl  1 1-.     Illld     lloW      \\(' 

slioiild  Hi\-('  lluMii.  It  \\;;>  jiiiivcd  tlmt  1  -IkhiM  l:(i  Id 
(lie  villii,L;v  w  illi  M.  d."  La  S;illc,  for  ilic  pin'iio^c  cf  (,1,- 
l;iiiiiii^'  ;i  cnplivc!  taken  iV.Mn  l!;('  nation  wliicli  we  de- 
sired to  vi>il,  wlio  eon!d  (■(.iidiiet  ns  thitlier,  iiiid  llnit  we 
slioiiM  t;ike  willi  IIS  eiulil  of  our  Krenclinieii,  the  I'est  to 
I'einiiin  willi  M.  Dolli<.'f  in  eliarue  of  tlie  ennoes.  This 
l)l;in  \v„  .  carried  out,  and  the  next,  day,  Aii^^-iist  TJlh, 
liad  no  sooner  dawned,  tliaii  W(>  were  notified  liy  tin? 
Indians  that,  it  was  tiiin;  to  set  oiil.  We  started  with 
ten  l''ivnehnuMi  and  I'di'tN-  oi' lilt  v  Indians,  wIid  eoiuiielled 
ns  to  re.-I  e\-eiy  league.  leariiiL^'  we  would  he  Iod  jiiueh 
laliii'inMl. 

Ahoiit,  hali'  way  W(.'  loiind  anoihei-  coiii|)an\-  of  Indians 
who  had  conie  to  meet  iis.  They  made  us  [)i'esents  of 
jirovisioiis  and  aeeompanied  us  to  iho  villai^c. 

\\  hen  W(!  were  within  ahout  a  lea^aie  of  the  laller,  the 
li;  lis  wei'e  more?  frefiuent,  and  our  eompai!}'  iiiercased 
iiKU'e  and  more,  until  wc  Unallv  eanu.'  in  .-iuht  of  the 
i^Teal  villau'e,  whieh  is  in  a  lariic  j)hiiii,  al»out  two  leagues 
in  eireiiinference.  In  order  to  I'eaeh  it  we  had  to  ascend 
a  small  hi","  on  the  edge  of  whieh  the  village  issiluated. 

As  soon  as  we  liad  mounted  the  hill,  we  saw  a  Large 
company  of  old  men  sealed  cm  the  grass,  waiting  lor  us. 
They  had  left  a  con\-eiiieiit  place  in  iVonl,  in  which 
they  invited  us  to  ;  it  down. 

This  we  did,  aud  at  IIk,'  same  time  an  old  ]u;in,  uearly 
blind,  aud  so  inllrm  that  he  coidd  hardly  suppoi't  him- 
s(!ir,  ai-()se,  aud  in  a  very  aniuuited  lorn:',  delivei'eil  a 
speech,  in  which  he  declared  his  j'oy  at  <uir  arrival,  that 

*Xm\v  !}()ud;tM!i  Hi!!. 


18 


we  iiiii-l  ciiiisiilrr  tlic  Sciiccns  jis  mir  IhoIImm's,  lli;it  llu'y 
wiiiild  ici;';ir(l  11-,  ;is  tliciis,  mid  ill  thai  iclalioii  llii'\'  in- 
\il('(l  lis  to  enter  tlieir  Niliai;*'.  wliere  tliey  had  in'epared 
!i  eaiiiii  'or  us  until  we  were  ready  to  di>eh)>e  our  pur- 
pose. We  tliaiiked  theiii  lor  their  civilities,  and  told 
iheiii  through  our  intei'preter,  that  we  would,  on  tin? 
next  day,  deelaic  to  them  tlie  oljeel  of  our  expedition. 
I'liis  done,  an  Indian,  who  ollieiateil  as  iiiastei"  of  cere- 
monies, came  to  eondiiet,  us  to  our  lodL;iuL;'s. 

A\'e  followed  him,  and  he  led  us  to  the  largest  cal>iii 
(»('  the  village,  which  they  had  prepai'cd  toi'  our  resi- 
dence, •^'i\'in^'  oi'ders  to  lln,'  women  Ijeloimin^'  lo  it  not 
to  let  us  want  lor  anythin<;\  In  triilli  ihey  were  al.  all 
times  ^'ery  raithl'ul  diirinu'  our  sojourn,  in  [U'cpariiiL;'  oiii" 
food  and  in  hrini'ini''  tin.'  wood  necos.sai'\'  to  afford  us 
li_i;'lit  at  ni^'ht. 

This  villai;'e,  like  all  those  of  the  Indians,  is  noihiii^- 
l)Ut  a,  colleelioii  of  (•■d»ins,  surrounded  with  palisades 
twelve  or  ihirleeii  i'cet  hi,i4'h,  hound  to^u'etlier  at  the  top, 
and  suj)[)orted  al  ihe  hase,  luhind  the  palisades,  hv  lari^-c 
masses  of  wood  of  the  height  of  a  man.  The  curtains 
ni"e  not  othcrwi.-e  (lanked,  l)ut  form  a  simph'  encln>ure, 
perfeetl}'  .scpiare,  so  lliat  these  foils  arc;  not  any  prole(^ 
(ion.  Ih.'sides  lliis,  the  precaution  is  sehloni  taken  to 
place  them  on  the  hank  of  a  stream,  or  neai' a  s[)rinL;', 
hut  on  some  hill,  whei'e,  ordinarilw  thev  are  riiiiie  dis- 
taut  from  water. 

On  tlu;  evening;'  of  the  121  h  we  saw  all  the  chiefs  of 
the  othei'  \ilhiii'es  arri\'e,  so  as  lo  he  in  readiness  for  the 
council  which  was  to  he  held  the  next  day. 

The  Seueca  Nation  is  (he  most  populous  of  all  tin; 
Iroquois.      It  com}»rises  four  villages,  of  which  (wo  rm- 


i 


19 

l>i!i<'(.'  ;il»oiit  loo  ciiKiiis  "iicli,  iiiid  tlic  dllici'  Iwo  iilioiit 
•TO  cIi.  (■(iiitiiiiiiiiL;'  ill  iill  pci'Iiiijis  1,000  t)r  1,200  men, 
ciipiiMt'  of  IxMi'iiin'  ni'iiis.  Tin;  two  liiiii'cr  iirc  iihoiit  six 
or  sc\cii  Ic'i^Mics  ;i|);irl,  iiiid  cncli  six  or  seven  Ie;ii;iies 
fivun  the  shore  of  the  l;ike.'"'  Tho  hiiid  lietweeii  'he 
lake  iiiid  the  easleniiiiost  of  tin"  lar^'cr  villa<;es  to  which 
I  went,  eoii>i-.ts  for  I  lie  ino-t  part  of  lliif  lai';;c  meadows, 
ill  uhieh  the  -riiss  is  as  tall  as  mvseif,  and  in  places 
Avhe|-e  there  arc  woods,  the  oaks  predominate.  They 
are  so  seallereil  that  oik;  can  easily  i-idc  anioiii;-  them  on 
liorseli.'ick.  We  were  told  that  this  open  coiiiiti'y  ex- 
tends towards  the  east  more;  than  one  hundi'cd  leaunes, 
and  towards  the  west  and  south  to  an  iiid<iiowii  (li>laiice, 
especialiy  towards  the  south,  where  prairies  are  f.iund 
without  ii  tree  foi-  U[) wards  of  one  hn!idr''d  leaLiues. 
I'lie  Indians  who  have;  vi.>ilcd  tIios(!  localities  say  they 
])ro(liic(;  very  i^ood  i'ruit,  ami  Indian  cc)rn  exti'einely 
line. 

At  leii^u'th,  the  l.'5lh  of  Ane-iist  ha\inii'  ari'ived,  tlie 
Indians  assemMed  in  our  caliiii,  to  the  ninnher  of  llflv  or 
sixl}'  of  the  principal  men  of  the  Nation.  Tlh'ir  ciistoni 
on  cnfei'iui;-  is  to  appropriate  the  most  eoiiNcnient  places 
Mhich  they  liiid  \acaiit,  without  relereiice  to  I'aiik,  and 
immediately  to  lake  some  lire  toliuht  their  [)i[)es,f  which 
nevei"  lea\e  theii'  mouths  dui'iiiL;'  the  entire  sittino-  of 
the  council.  They  say  that  ^ood  thoughts  are  produced 
1)\'  smokiiiii'. 

W  hen  tin;  assemhly  had  hecome  sufiiciciilly  numerous, 
we  hegan  to   speak  of  business,  and   it   was   then  "SI.   da 

*  Sec  piigc  10,  note  f 

f  The  Iiidiiins,  wliilr  iittcn(liii,<;- !i  council,  always  li^ilit   their  piiics   at   the 
fire  wliicli  is  kept  burning  while  the  session  lasts. 


i 


f^i'^mm 


mmmmm 


■■ 


20 


La  Salle  eonrL'^-se'd  lie  wnsunaMo  to  inakt;  liiiiisclf  iindci-- 
stood.  On  llie  other  luiiid  my  iii(('r})r<'t('i'  s;iid  llmt  lie 
did  not  know  onougli  ol'  Fi-eiicli  lo  coii\c\  liis  ni(';iniii<T- 
lo  MS.  So  we  deemed  i(  moi'e  advisnhle  lo  eiiiplov  llio 
sei-v;inl  of  Fnlliei-  Freiuiii  lo  speak  in  our  lieliall'  iind  to  iu- 
terprc'l  wliat  the  Indians  sliould  re[)Iy,  and  il  wa^  so  done. 
U  mu.-l  be  slated  that  Failier  Freiiiin  was  iioi  tlieii 
at  liis  post,  but  had  L;'one  a  lew  days  ju'evious  lo  Onon- 
daga, to  attend  a  meeiini;'  whieh  was  to  lie  held  iherc^ 
of  all  lliG  Jesuits  sealle-red  amon,i;-  the  Fi\-e  Nalions. 
There  A\as  therefore  no  one  but  tlu'  S('r\-anl  (»!'  i'^alhei- 
Fh'emin,  who  could  ser\-e  as  our  inler])re!(T.'" 

Our  (irst  [U'esent  wa>  a  pistol  ^villi  two  baia'cls,  woi'lh 
sixty  fi'anes,  and  the  mes.-au'e  wiih  which  \,('  acconi])a- 
nied  iIk;  prescnl,  \\;i<.  thai  we  reL;-arded  iIkmii  as  our 
brothers,  and  as  siieli  were  so  sti'oiii4'  in  iheir  interest, 
that  we  made  llnuu  a,  pi'esent  of  said  pislol  with  two  bai'- 
rels,  so  ihat  willi  one  >hot  they  could  destroy  the  Wolf 
Nation.  (  Loups)  and  will;  ihe  other  the  Andostoues, 
beini;-  two  nations  ag'ain>l  which  ihev  wau'c  a  cruel  wai-.f 

Tlie  sect)nd  present,  of  .^ix  kettles,  six  halcliels,  lour 
dozen  knives  and  live  or  six  ])oundsof  lar^c  irlass  IxNids, 
deelare<l  to  them  that  we  had  come  on  the  pai'l  of  On- 
ontio,;|;  (it  is  thus  lliey  call  the  tiovciaior.)  lo  establish 
peace. 

*See  pa^-i!  1:). 

■|-Tlu'  Loujis  or  Wclf  Xaiioii  Wfiv  ihc  .Al(ilii';:;;!i^.  Tlic  Aii(l:istc<  wcrv  al- 
most oxtcTiniimlol  hy  tlif  Iroqudi-.  in  \>\r2.  'I'lic  Mir\  ivoi--  were  adoplol, 
chiffly  l)y  the  Siaucas.  Kilalioii  \iUu.  ()iu'1hc  Kdiiioii  p,  -js.  II  (luirlcvoix 
page  244. 

|T1h' si^-nillcatioii  of  ():i<>hfri  is  /,•■,./)'  nimi iit.ihi,  Iiciii';-  a  traii^lalioii  into 
Irocpiois  of  tiie  name  (,f  the  secund  (Jovei'iior  of  Canada,  the  ("licvalier 
Montinar/in/.  The  Indians  always  applied  llic  same  name  to  liis  sueeessors  in 
olliee.     Jesuit  Kelation   n;iO~l,  p.  77. 


^ 
^ 


21 


TIio  lliird  ;iii(l  l;i>l  i)rcs(.'iit,  dl'  t\\(»  Cdiils.  loin-  kdilos, 
six  lii.tdicts  ;ni(l  some  ,L;lass  Ixn-uIs.  (l(H'I;irc(l  tlinl  \vc  liad 
'jMiiie  (HI  tlu'  part  of  Oiioiilio.  to  see  llic  i.c()[)l(!  called  1)V 
tlu'iii  '' T<)a-'(,'iilia,""'  liviiiL;- oil  llic  river  Ohio,  and  tliat 
we  a>ke(l  jroni  tliciii  a  ea[)ti\-e  of  that  country,  to  con- 
duet  us  thilhri'.  They  considered  it  was  neeessurv  to 
think  o\-er  onr  proposii  i(jn,  so  they  waite-d  until  the  next 
day,  l)eror(yL'i\-in_<;'  their  answer.  These  people  have  a 
custom  ne\-er  to  s[)eak  oj'  any  lui>ine,-s  without  niakiii<'- 
.''"ine  present  to  serve  as  a  reiniiKhu'  of  the  words  which 
the\-  ul  ler. 

Early  the  next  ni(-)rnin^i;',  they  all  came    hack,    ami  the 
most  distinguished  chief  amoii";-  tluuii    presented    a    l»elt 
of  Witmpiim,  to  assure  us   that  we  were    welcome  anioiii;- 
our  brothers.      The   second  [)reseiit  was   another  kell    of 
waiu])uiii,  to  a!->ure  us  they  wer(>  llrmly  resoh'ed  to  main- 
lain  peace  with  tin;  French,  and    th-it    their    nation    had 
never  made  uar  upon  the  French,  and  did    not  Cir^'wo  to 
l)e<;'in  it  in  a  time  of  peace.      For  the  thii'd  jiresml,  ijicv 
said  tliey  wonhl  i;iv(;  us  a  capti\-e   as  wo  had    re(pn">icd, 
l)Ut  they  de^^ircd    to  wait   until    the  A-iuinu'   men    had    re- 
turned from  trading-  with    the  Dutch,  to  whom   the\-  had 
carried  all  theii'  eapli\-es,  and    then    they  would    not    fail 
to  <;ive  ns  one.      We  asked  them    not  to  delain  us   more 
than  eiiilit  days,  kecauseor  die  advancin_u' season.      This 
they  proiiii.-ed,  and  each  om;  withdrew  to  his  own  cakiu- 

111  the  meantime  they  entertained   us   as  well    as   they 
could,  and  rivaled  each  other  in  I'eastinij'  us  accordiln'-  to 

*'l"hc  iKiiiic  0/'»/y /„/,//, /^i..-,nii,.s,  "a  people  speakiim-a  corrupt  Alu-niKpiiii." 
The  nalidii  is  dr-crilinl  as  liviiin'  In  ii  warm  and  liTlilc  country,   (in   a  river 
wiiicli  either  enijilie- inid  the  (ailf  of  :\Ie.\ico  or  llie  ^'^rnlilli()ll   Sea,     Kcla- 
linn  KKU--:',  p.  U.     'i'his  must  refer  to  llic  Oliio,    no!  then   diseoveivd  hy  tlie 
French. 


'mm 


^mmH^mmm 


mmmmmm 


')>> 


■I' 


li 


tile  CHsLoiu  of  ihc  (•oiiiilry.  But  1  assui-e  Vdi  I  was 
many  times  more  desirous  ol' remleriiio'  up  what  I  had  in 
my  slomacli,  than  of  fakiiio-  ii,(,,  i(  any  tliinu'  new.  The 
prineipal  food  in  (liis  villa,^-e,  \\lH're  tliey  rai'ciy  liavo 
lr(>sh  meat,  is  tiie  doi;'  the  liair  of  wliicli  iIh'v  sinu'e  ()\er 
coals.  Al'ler  luivinu'  Ihoroui-hlv  scraped  the  cai'eass, 
they  cut  it  in  pieces  and  place  it  in  a  kellle.  \\'hen 
cooked,  they  serve  you  with  a  piece-  wciuhiiiL;'  thi'ci^  or 
four  pounds,  in  a  wooden  dish,  which  has  never  been 
ch.'aned  with  any  other  dislicloth  than  the  linui.u's  of  the 
misti'ess  of  tlie  house,  which  havti  lefi  their  impress 
in  the  <;i-easc  that  alwaws  covei's  tlieii-  vc-sels  to  the 
tliickiH'.ss  of  a  silv(M'  crown. 

Aiiothci-  ol'  tln'ir  favorite  dishes  is  Indian  meal,  cocked 
in  water,  and  ser\-e(]  in  a  wooden  l)owl,  with  a  small 
})oi'tion  of  toui'iiesol,  nut  oi-  hear's  oil.'''' 

There  was  not  a  child  in  the  villai;'!'  l»nl  was  eau'cr  to 
hring  ns,  sometinuN  stalks  of  Indian  corn  .'ud  ofleiitimes 
pumpkins,  Ijcsides  other  small  iVuits  which  lhe\-  a'ather 
in  tin;  woods. 

We  thus  consumed  the  time,  for  eiuht  oi'  leu  davs, 
wailing-  until  the  ])arty  shoultl  retni-n  from  their  tr;idin<>- 
to  give  ns  ;i  capti\c. 

It  was  during  this  interval  that,  in  oi'dei'  to  pass  away 
the  time,  I  went  with  M  de  La,  Salle,  undei'  the  escort  of 
two  Indians,  ahout  four  leagues  south  of  the  village 
whei'e  we  were  sta\inL;-,  to  see  a  vei'v  CAtraoi'dinarv 
s[)iang.  Issuing  from  a  nnxlerately  high  roek,  it  foi-ms  a 
small  brook.      'J'he  watei-  is  veiy  clear  but  has  a  bad  odor, 

*T1h' Jcsuil  Lc  Mrrcicr  siiys  in  thcTlrhilion  tor  Ul.");,  p.  ;!;},  Quclicc  Kdi- 
lioii,  that  tiic  Iniliaiis  cxtracl  oil  from  Hie  Tounicsol,  liy  means  of  aslics,  tliu 
mill,  tii'c!  and  water.  The  Touriiesol  referred  to  is  prohahly  the  common 
sun-llower,  wiiieli  is  iniliuvnous  lo  tlie  warmer  i)arts  of  Xortli  America. 


t 


2:5 


'il<''  'li'i'  ot'llic  iiiiiicnil  iiiarslics  (if  V-av\<.  wlidi  tlie  iimd 
on  the  hotloiii  is  stirred  with  th(,'  foot.  I  npplied  ;i 
lorcli  ;tiul  llie  water  iiiiine(lialel\-  took  Jiic  and  hiiiiied 
like  1. randy,  and  was  not  e.\t  in^^aiislied  until  it  raine(h 
This  flame  is  ainoiig  the  Indians  a  si^'u  of  abundance  or 
sicrilily  aecordino- as  it  e.xhil.'its  the  contrary  (jualiti(s. 
'J'here  is  no  appeai'ance  oj' snl[)hni-,  saltpetre  or  any  other 
coniI)Usiil)le  matei'ial.  Tlie  water  has  not  even  aiiv  taste, 
i'ii<l  1  (•'■111  iK'ithei'  oiler  iioi-  ima^u'ine  any  heder  e\])lana- 
li*"i.  'liiiii  lliiil  it  ac(iuires  this  coinbuslil.le  [)r()pci'lv  1)V 
passing-  over  sonu^  aluminous  land.""' 

ll  was  dnring   this    inter\-al    that    the}-    brijui^'ht    some 

^'Tlir  Sjirinu- ;ili(ivc  (Icscrilicd  was  iiiiddulilcdly  whal  is  l^iiown  in  iliis  rc- 
iviiMi  a>  a  "lainiiii-spriii- "  many  cf  Avliicli  alinund  in  WcMcni  New  Yoii;. 

I5cinL;- (Icsircais  of  ascrrlainin-i' if  (inc  still  existed  in  the  dircclinn  and  at 
llic  disiancv  From  tiic  Seneca  village  indicated  in  the  narrative,  I  tniind,  on 
cmisuliiim-  ;i  map  of  (Jntaiio  Cdunly,  tliat  a  villauv  named  "  Urist,,!  Centre," 
was  at  the  exact  point.  ( )n  addressim;- a  note  of  in<|uiry  to  a  ,L!intleiiien  rc- 
sidiiii;-  llarc,  lie  an-\vere(l  as  follows: 

There  are  in  this  Town  lMirnir<v  sprinu''^,  in  a  direct  line  soulli  of  Domi-hton 
Tlill,  h'catcd  in  the  sonth  side  of  a  small  lirook  which  empties  tlirou;i-li  a  ra- 
A-iiU'  into  th.'  we-t  side  of  .Mud  Creek.  The  spirin-s  are  on  a  level  with  tiie 
hedofihe  lii'odk.  'J'ho  hanks  opjiosilc  the  spriiiL's  ai'e  froin  IS  to  20  feet, 
hi,-h,  perpen(li(ad;ir  and  rocky.  The  ;.:a-  emits  a  iiecidiar  odor.  l!y  ajiplv- 
ing  a  m.atcli  the  water  ajipcar^  to  hum,  and  is  not  easily  extinguished,  except 
by  a  lni:h  wind  or  heavy  rain." 

It  will  he  noticed  ihiit  the  two  descriptions,  written  nearly  QOO  years  ;ip,ar(, 
correspond  in  a  sirikim:'  manner.  The  same  idienomena,  that  excited  tiu' 
woiider  of  La  Salle, and  his  conipaiuons,  are  still  in  ope  ration,  living  witnesses 
of  the  truth  of  the  Sulpician's  narrative. 

Tn  the  instructions -i\.n  hy  the  l-larl  of  iiellonuml  lo  Col.  Ronier,  to  vihI 
the  Seneca  C(nintry  in  Septemhcr,  1700,  lie  dinvt.s  him  "  to  go  and  view  a 
W(dl  or  spring  which  is  eight  nules  heyond  the  Senecas  furthe,«t  castle,  w  hidi 
they  havi' told  me  hlazes  up  in  a  llame  when  a  light  coal  or  firel)rand  is  put 
into  it.  You  will  do  well  to  taste  the  said  water  and  give  me  your  opinion 
thereof,  and  hring  with  you  some  of  it."     X.  V.  Col.  Doe.,  \'(i!.  1\',  p.   -.'(j. 


J 


I 


24 

l)i'itii(l\'  from  l!h'    Diilrli    Id    llic  \-ill;i_i:'(',  on   wliicli    many 
sax'iiLi'i's  hccaiiic  drunk.''' 

Manv  tiuio>  lln.'  relations  of  iIhj  jx'rs-tn  who  liad  lu'(jn 
killed  at  jNIontrcal  a  l'('^v  da\'s  LM'Torc  we  lel'l  tlu're,  threat- 
(Mied,  in  ihe-ir  intoxieal  ion,  to  l)real<  our  lu'ads  oi"  dis- 
patch us  with  tlieii'  knives,  so  as  lo  he  ahlc  to  say  al'lei'- 
wai'ds,  that  they  coniinitted  tlu'  l)ase  act,  \v1ien  intt,  in 
their  senses,  'i'hey  arc  not  in  the  lial)il  of  nn)Ui'niii;4'  for 
those  win)  are  killed  in  this  niannei',  for  fear  of  i;i\'i\i<^- 
uneasiness  to  llie'  li\-ini:,',  by  I'ennndiiii;' him  oi' his  orreiice. 
In  the  mean  time  we  k<'[)t  so  well  on  our  ^L;'uard,  that  we 
eseajx'd  all  injury. 

Durini;'  this  interva.l  I  saw  the  saddest  spectacle  1  had 
ever  witnessed.  I  was  irilbrnnMl  one  (,'\'eninL;',  that  some 
■warrioi's  had  arri\'edi  with  a  prisomu",  and  had  placed  him 
in  a  cabin  neai'  oui'  own.  I  weid  to  see  him,  and  found 
him  seated  with  three  women,  who  \ied  with  each  other  in 
liewailin^L''  the  (h/ath  of  a  relatix'e  who  had  been  kille(l  in 
the  skirmish  in  which  the  prisoner  had  been  ca])turc(b 

Ht'  M';»s  a  3()un;^'  man  bS  or  '20  years  old,  \ei')'  well 
foi'mcd.  whom  the}'  had  clothed  iVom  head  to  foot  since 
his  ai'ri\al.  Ihey  had  inllieted  no  injur\'  upon  him  .-iiieo 
his  captuic.  They  had  not  e\'en  saluted  him  with  blow.=, 
as  is  their  cu-toi.n  with  prisonci's  on  their  enierinu'  a,  \\]- 
hiL^'e.  1  thoii.uhr,  therefore,  that  1  would  ha\'e  an  o])[>(ii'- 
lunily  to  demaml  him  for  our  _i:'uid(',  a,s  ihey  said  he  was 

■^  I-'altuT  l>l'ii\  ;i>.  llicii  Iccia.'il  ;il  Oiii'iil:!,  in  wii!  in;:'  midrr  (Lite  nf  Au:;u-t 
UiiJi,  HKii),  fi'cin  tliat  viUiiiic.  ;is  n;irraii'il  in  llic  cnh  ni|>i>iaiy  .Ic.Miit  Urlaiiim, 
i?iiys:  "Tlio  huliii.ns  huvc  rclurnol  iliisday  l'r(un  llicir  n'nllic  '■"///■  .•:'.r///  /mn;  's 
f.;' /)'/■('/((///,  liroiiu'lil  iVmu  >v\'\v  Jlolland."  (Alliaiiy.)  .Jcsuii  lulation  li>;0,  p. 
4.-);  Canadian   Ivlilinn. 

Tlius  liic  two  Fallicrs,  llruyas  and  (lalnuM',  f)f  two  i-ival  iclii^ions  onlri-s, 
and  l)y  iiulcpt'ndcnt  tcsiiniony.  tliat  of  one  liavinu' never  iieroff  liciii  inililisiied, 
verity  l!ie  iiuUi  of  eacli  oUiers  ^laicmcnls.     See  Kt'lalion  IdTO-l,  p.  ;i). 


'* 


*» 


!l 


^ 

I' 


20 

oiu'  of  till'  Tou^'ciilias."'  I  tlicn  went  to  find  M.  dc  La 
Sidle  for  lliat  pur[)()S(;\  wlio  lold  mo  lliist  tlie  Seiieciis 
were  iiieii  of  tlicir  word,  tliat  siiico  tlicy  liad  ])r()iinscd 
us  a  ca[)tive,  they  would  <j;i\c  us  one,  tliat  it  iiiattorcd 
littlo  whether  it  was  this  one  or  another,  and  it  was  use- 
less to  pi-ess  them.  I  thei-efore  gave  uiysell"  uo  I'lirther 
trouble  about  it.      Night  eanui  on  and  we  retire(L 

The  next  dav  had  no  sooner  dawned,  than  a  laru'C 
company  entered  our  cabin,  to  tell  us  that  the  captive 
was  about  to  be  burned,  and  that  he  had  asked  to  sec 
the  ''  uiisfi(/ouch.''  j-  I  ran  to  the  public  ])lae(!  to  see  hiiu, 
and  Ibuiid  he  was  already  on  the  scallbld,  where  they 
had  l)ound  hiui  hand  and  foot  to  a,  stake. 

I  was  surprised  to  hear  him  utter  some  Algon(pun  words 
wliieh  1  knew,  although,  from  tlu;  manner  in  which  ho 
pronounced  them,  they  were  hardly  recognizable.  lie 
made  uk?  eoni})i'eheiul  at  last,  that  ho  desired  his  execu- 
tion shouhl  be  ])ostp()ne(l  until  the  next  day.  If  he  had 
spoken  good  A]gou(piin,  I  woidd  have  understood  him,, 
but  his  language  diflered  IVom  the  Algomniin  still  more- 
than  that  of  the  Ottawas,  so  I  understood  l)nt  veiy  little. 
I  conversed  with  the  Irocpiois  through  oui'  Dutch  inter- 
preter, who  told  me  that  the  captive  had  been  given  to 
an  old  wonum,  in  place  oC  her  son  who  had  l)cen  killed, 
that  she  could  not  b(-ar  to  see  him  live,  that  all  the 
family  took  such  a  dee])  interest  in  his  suffering,  that 
they  would  not  })Ost[)one  his  lortui'e.  The  irons  were 
already  in  the  lire  to  torment  the  \n)uv  wretch. 

*Tlic  Touii'ciilias  -were  prohalily  iilt'iitical  with  tlic  Sliawiu'cs  w  lio  lived  on 
flic  Ohio,  adjacent  to  tiie  Miami  ami  Scioto  rivers. 

f  Tiie  Alg()iU[iiiii  name  for  l-'reiichmaii.  til  J'oucliot,  p.  .')(!4.  The  iiicaii- 
inu"  of  the  name  is  "  Imilders  of  wooden  canoes,"  alluding;'  to  tlie  sinjis  in 
whicii  tiie  Frcncdi  tirsi  appeared  to  tlic  Indians.  Heiation  u;;',;;,  ]>,  40.  uayard 
voyaiic,  p,  1)7. 


i 


i 


■mmiPM 


T 


I 

^ 


2G 

Oil  my  part,  I  told  oui-  iiitc'r])i'eter  to  (IciiimikI  liiiii  in 
place  of  (he  captive  tliey  liad  j)roiiiisecl,  and  I  would 
make  a  ])i'es(Mit  to  the  old  woman  to  whom  lie  belonged, 
but  he  was  not  at  any  time  willing  to  make  the  })ro})o- 
sition,  allegiiio-  that  such  was  not  their  custom,  and  the 
afiair  Avas  of  too  serious  a  nature. 

1  even  nsed  threats  to  induce  him  to  sav  Avhat  1  de- 
.sin.'d,  l)ut  in  vain,  for  lie  Avas  obstinate  as  ;i  Dutchman, 
and  ran  away  to  avoid  me. 

1  then  remained  alone  near  the  poor  sufferer,  who 
saw  before  him  the  instruments  of  his  tortni-e.  I  en- 
deavored to  nnikehim  understand  that  he  could  have  no 
recourse  but  to  God,  and  that  he  should  i)ras-  to  him  thus: 

"Thou  who  hast  made  all  things,  have  pity  on  me. 
I  am  sorry  not  to  have  obeyed  Thee,  but  if  J  should  live, 
I  Avill  obey  Thee  in  all  things." 

He  understood  me  better  than  1  L\xi)ected,  because  all 
the  people  who  are  neighbors  to  the  Outaouacs,  under- 
stand Algonquin.  I  did  not  consider  that  I  ought  to 
baptise  him,  not  only  because  I  could  not  understand 
him  well  enough  to  know  his  state  of  mind,  but  for  llie 
reason  that  the  Iro(piois  urged  me  to  leave  him,  that  they 
might  begin  their  tragedy. 

Besides,  I  believed  that  tlu,'  act  of  contrition  which  1 
had  caused  him  to  exhibit,  wovdd  save  him.  Had  1  fore- 
seen this  event,  on  the  ]»receding  evening,  I  would  cer- 
tainly have  I)a)>tised  him,  foi'  I  would  hav(!  had,  duriim' 
the  night,  time  to  instruct  him.  So  I  couhl  do  nothing 
but  exhort  him  to  endni'e  patiently,  and  to  carry  up  his 
suffei-ings  to  (iod,  in  saying  to  him  often,  "  Tluni  who 
hast  nnide  all  things,  have  i)ity  on  me."  This  he  repeated 
with  his  eyes  raised  toward  heaven.      In  the  meantime  I 


« 

V 


27 

«!i\v  tlic  priiicii)al  relaiive  of  tlio  (Icccjised.  iipproacli  him 
witli  a  oiiii  baiTcl,  lialf  of  wliidi  was  heated  red  liot. 
This  oljliged  me  to  witlidraw.  Some  began  to  disap- 
prove of  my  eiieoura<;iiig  him,  iiiasmucli  as  it  is  a  had 
sign  among  tliem  for  a,  prisoner  to  endure  tlie  torture 
patiently.  I  retired  tliereforo  with  sorrow,  and  liad 
tseareely  tiii'nt'd  away,  when  the  l)ar])arous  Irorpiois  ap- 
j)lied  th(>  red  hot  gun-harrel  to  the  top  of  his  ieet,  whieli 
raused  the  poor  wretcli  to  utter  a,  loud  eiy.  This  turned 
me  al)out,  and  I  saw  the  Iroquois,  with  a  grave  and 
sol)(>rcountena,nc(.',  apply  the  ii-on  slowly  along  his  feet  and 
legs,  and  some  old  men  who  were  smoking  around  the 
seallold,  and  all  the  young  jx'Ople,  leaped  with  jov,  to 
witness  the  contoi'tions  whieli  the  severity  of  the  heat 
caused  in  the  [)oor  sullerer. 

While  th(\se  events  were  transpiring,  I  retii'cd  to  the 
eal)in  where  we  lodged,  full  of  sorrow  at  being  unable  to 
save  the  pool-  captive,  and  it  was  then  that  I  i-ealized, 
more  than  evei',  the  importance  of  not  venturing  too  far 
among  the  i)eoplc'  of  this  counti'v,  without  knowino- 
their  language,  or  being  certain  of  obtaining  an  inter- 
preter. 1  can  aftii-m,  that  the  lack  of  an  intei'})reLer 
under  our  own  control,  prevented  the  entii'e  succ<'ss  of 
our  ex})edition. 

As  1  was  in  our  cabin,  praying  to  God,  and  veiy  sad, 
M.  de  La  Salle  cauK;  ami  told  nu'  he  was  apprehensive 
that,  in  the  excitement  he  saw  pi'evailiu"-  in  the  villao-o 
they  would  insult  us — that  nnuiy  would  ])ecome  intoxi- 
cated that  day,  ami  he  had  finally  resolved  to  return  to 
the  place  where  we  had  left  the  canoes,  and  the  rest  of 
our  people.  I  told  him  1  was  ready  to  follow,  for  I  had 
dilficulty,  while  remaining  with  him  there,   in  banishing 


■=nr^wwii^""w 


mgrngmmmm 


2H 


IVoiii  my  mind  thiit  sjul  s^x'ctacli;.  Wc;  told  tlic  seven  or 
eig'lit  of  our  people  wlio  wvvn  tliere  willi  us,  lo  witli- 
(Iraw  for  ilu;  day  to  a  small  village  half  a  league  from 
iJie  largo  one,  where  we  were,'^'  for  fear  ol  some  insult, 
and  M.  de  La  Salle  and  mvself  went,  to  find  M.  Dollier, 
six  leagues  from  the  village. 

Thei'e  were  some  of  our  peoph;  l)aiI»ai'ous  enough  to 
be  willing  to  witness,  from  b(\ginning  to  end,  the  tcjrture' 
of  the  poor  Toagenha,  and  who  ro[)orte(l  to  us  the  next 
day,  that  his  entire  body  had  been  burned  with  hot  ii'ons 
for  the  space  of  six  hours,  that  thei'e  was  not  the  least 
spot  left  that  had  not  been  roasted.  After  that  they 
had  re([uired  him  to  run  six  courses  j)ast  the  phu'e  wher(i 
the  Iro(iuois  wei'e  waiting  Ibr  him  armed  with  burning 
clubs,  with  which  they  goaded  and  beat  him  to  the 
ground  when  he  attem[)ted  to  join  them.  Many  took 
kettles  lull  of  coals  and  hot  ashes,  with  which  thev  cov- 
ered  him,  as  soon  as,  by  I'casou  of  fatigue  and  debility, 
he  wished  to  take  a  moment's  I'epose.  At  length,  after 
two  h(jurs  of  this  barbai'ous  diversion,  they  knocked 
him  down  with  a  stone,  and  throwing  themselves  u[)on 
him,  cut  his  body  in  pieces.  One  carried  off  his  lu^ad, 
another  an  arm,  a  third  some  other  member,  which  the" 
put  in  the  pot  for  the  feast. 

Many  offered  some  to  the  Frenchmen,  telling  >..<Mn 
there  was  nothing  in  the  world  bettei-  to  eat,  but  no  one 
desired  to  try  the  experiment. 

In  the  evening  all  assembled  in  the  ])ublic  })lace,  each 
with  stick  in  hand,  with  which   they  began    to   ]>eat   the 

*This  was  a  small  fortifiod  villum',  ^  "lilf  aiul  a  lialf  west  of  llouuhton 
Iliii,  and  known  us  Fort  Hill,  anion.u' the  curly  srttlcis.  New  York  Hist. 
Coll.,   Vol.  II,   Now  Scrk's,   p.  100. 


29 


c'iiUiiis  on  iill  sides,  innkiii;^'  a  very  loml  noise,  to  cliase 
away,  they  saiil,  the  soul  of  tin;  deeeased,  wliich  might 
be  eoneeah'd  in  some  coi'ikm'  lo  do  tliem  iiiiui'v. 

Sometime  aftei-  this  we  returned  to  thi;  villatre.  to 
colleet  amoni!,'  the  ea])ins  the  Indian  eoi'u  necessary  for 
oui'  joui'iu'y,  and  wliieli  was  brought  to  us  by  the  women 
of  the  |)hu'e,  each  according  to  lier  uu'ans.  Jt  had  to 
be  carried  on  tlie  i)ack  Ibi-  the  six  h)ng  leagues  that  lay 
belwcen  the  village  and  the  jilace  where  we  wei'C  en- 
cam))ed. 

Dui'ing  our  stay  at  that  village,  we  incjuired  [)articu- 
lai'l}'  about  the  road  we  must  tidve  in  order  to  reach  the 
Ohio  river,  and  thev  all  told  us  to  iio  in  seai'ch  of  it 
from  SouuGUtouau.  'J'hat  it  re(|uii'ed  six  days  joui'uev 
by  laiul,  of  about  twelve  leagues  each."' 

This  iuduced  us  to  believe  that  we  could  not  })ossiblv 
reach  it  in  that  wav,  as  we  would  hardlv  be  able  t(_)  cai'i  v, 
for  so  loug  a  journey,  our  uecessai'y  pi-ovisious,  much 
less  our  baggage.  But  they  told  us  at  the  same  time, 
that  in  goiug  to  find  it  by  the  way  of  Lake  Krie,  in 
canot'S,  we  would  have  oidv  a  three  davs  nortajje  befoi-e 
ai'riving  at  that  river,  reaching  it  at  a  point  uiuch  nearer 
the  people  we  wei'C  seeking,  than  lo  go  by  Sonm)ntouan. 

What  embarrassed  us  however  uioi'c  than  all  else  was, 
that  which  the  Indians  told  our  Dutch  interpreter.  They 
said  he  was  dcN'oid  of  sens(!  to  be  willing  to  go  to  the 
Toagueidia,  ^^  ho  were  veiy  bad  })eople,  who  would 
search  for  our  cam[)-lires  in  the  evening  and  then  come  in 
the  night  to  kill  us  with  their  arrows,  with  which  they 
would  riddle  us  ere  we   had  discovered   them.     Beside.s 


*T1h' route  llii'v  proposed  to  talvc  was  prol):ilily  >ii>  tlio  Gcnosee  river  to 
one  of  its  sourees,  crossiim-  from  tlieiiee  to  tlie  head  waters  of  tlie  Allegany. 


;io 


this,  \v(,'  would  run  j^rcal  risk  along  ■.lie  I'ivcr  Ohio,  ol' 
nux'tinj^  the  Ontastois*  who  would  surciy  hfcak  our  heads. 
That,  lor  thcso  reasons  the  Senecas  were  not  wiiliiiL;'  1(> 
<>'o  wilh  us  Col"  fear  it  would  \n)  thor''lil,  thcv  were  th(} 
cause  of  the  death  ol  the  Fi'ench,  hat  ihcy  had,  with 
♦Threat  leluelance  decidcil  to  rurnish  ;i  ^'uidc,  fearing-  that 
Onontio  would  iniputt;  our  death  lo  thcni,  and  after- 
wards make  war  u[)on  tluMU  out  ol'  .•evciiii'e. 

These  discussions  continued  union<^'  them  without  our 
being  al)le  to  understand  their  nature,  l)ut  I  was  com- 
pletely astonished  to  see  the  ardor  of  my  Dulchman 
abale.  lie  continued  to  insist  that  the  Indians  wher(; 
^V(;  wished  lo  go  were  of  no  account,  and  woidd  surely 
kill  us.  When  I  told  him  there  was  nothing  to  fear  if 
"we  stationed  a  good  sentinel,  he  re[)lied.  that  the  senti- 
m.'l,  being  near  the  lire,  could  not  see  tlios(,'  who  would 
conn;  at  night,  under  cover  of  tin;  trc-es  and  thickets. 
Finally  it  was  a[)})arent,  from  all  these;  speeches,  that  lu; 
was  alarmed,  and  in  fact  In;  did  not  discharge  his  duties 
as  guide  with  as  much  zeal  as  belbi'c.  In  addition  to 
all  this,  it  was  evident  that  the  savages  wei'c  l)rii)(Hl. 
Thus  they  trifled  with  us  from  day  to  day,  saying  that 
their  pco[)le  delayed  returning  IVom  their  trading  ex[)l^ 
dition,  longer  than  they  had  antici])ale(L 

We  suH'ered  much  from  this  detention,  because  we  lost 
the  most  favorable  sc^ason  Ibr  tra\'elling,  and  could  not 
hoi)e  to  winter  with  anv  mition  if  we  delaved  much 
longer, — ;i  contingency  which  M.  de  La  Salle  regarded 
as  certain  death,  because  of  the  difliculty  of  obtaining 
Y)rovisions  ii>  the  woods.  Nevertheless  we  have,  thaidc 
God,  experienced  the  conti-ary. 

*So  spelled  in  tlio  manusoript.     It  may  refer  to  the  .1/('/"n/,.v. 


'» 


:n 


We  were  iclicvcd  of  ;ill  lliis  dinicully,  liy  llic  iiniviil 
IVoiii  the  Duicli,  of  Mil  Iiidiiiii  wlio  Iodised  in  dii'  ciiliiii. 
Jfc  l)('l(»iii;('(l  to  .1  villiiLi'c  ol'  one  of  llic  Fixe  Ir(i(|ii()is 
iiMtioiis,  wliicli  is  .situiitcd  iit  llic  end  of  Luke  Ontario, 
I'oi"  tliorcoJivcniciic'o  of  Imnlinii'  tlie  deer  iuid  llie  Ix'ai' 
wliicli  ai'c  alnnidaiit  in  tliat  vicinity.  This  Indian  assui'cd 
us  lliat  wc  would  liave  no  liouhlc  in  lindini;'  ii  f^'iiide, 
tliat  a,  nuiiilici'  of  captives  of  tlie  nations  we  desired  to 
visit  wei'c  there,  and  he  would  very  cheerfully  conduct 
us  thither. 

A\'e  thou<iht  it  would  l)e  well  to  take  this  course,  not 
oidy  Itecause  we  would  Ix'  on  (»ur  way,  appi'oachini''  the 
])lace  whither  wo  dosirc.'d  to  <;•(),  l>ut  as  tin;  village  had 
oidy  18  or  20  cal)ins,  we  flattered  oui solves  wo  could 
easilv  hecome  its  luastors,  and  exact  tlirouiih  fear,  what 
would  iH)t  l>e  Avillinu'lv  accorded  to  us  throuiih  Iriond- 
ship. 

It  was  under  the  inlluenee  o("  these  hopes  that  wo  lei't 
the  Sonnoiitouans.  Wo  fouml  a  river,  oiieci<i,-hth  of  a 
leanue  Iti'oad  and  e\'li'euu'ly  ra[)id,  forininn'  the  outlet  or 
conmiuiiication  froui  Lake  l''rie  to  Lak(;  Ontaiio.  The 
depth  of  the  river  (for  it  is  properly  the  St.  Lawrence), 
is,  at  this  j)laee  extraordinary,  foi',  on  souiuling  close  l)y 
the  shore,  we  found  15  or  IG  fathouis  of  water.  This 
outlet  is  40  leagues  long,  and  has,  fi'om  ten  to  twelve 
leagues  above  its  euibouchui'o  into  Lake  Ontario,  one  of 
the  finest  cataracts,  or  falls  of  watei'  in  the  world,  for  all 
the  Lidiaus  o(  whom  1  have  inquired  al)Oui  it,  say,  that 
the  river  falls  at  that  [)lace  from  a,  i-ock  higher  than  the 
tallest  pines,  that  is  about  200  feet.  In  fact  we  heard  it 
from  the  place  where  we  were,  although  froui  10  to  12 
lea<>-ues  distant,  but   the  fall  iiiN'os  such  a  uionuuitum  to 


:i2 


the  Wiitcr,  lliiit  ils  vdocily  jji'cvciilcd  our  iisc(>ii(liiiu'  tin? 
current  l»y  rowiiii;',  except  willi  ni'ejit  dilliculty.  At  a 
({iiarter  of  ii  IcMj^ue  tVoiii  llio  outlet  where  we  were,  it 
<^Tows  iiiiiTower,  and  its  cliaiiiiel  is  conliued  hetween  two 
very  hi*;'!!,  steep,  rocky  hanks,  inducin<^-  tin;  heliel"  tliaL 
the  na\'i<^ation  would  l)e  veiy  diflienlt  (piiti;  up  to  the 
Cataract.  As  to  tin;  river  above  the  Falls,  the  current 
very  often  sucks  into  this  gulf,  from  a  ^vvnt  distance,  deer 
and  sta<;s,  elk  and  roehucks,  that  sulVer  themselves  to 
he  drawn  from  such  a,  ])oint  in  crossino-  the  river,  that 
they  arc  comijclhul  to  descend  the  Falls,  and  to  hi" 
overwhelmed  in  its  fri<4-htfnl  ahyss.* 

Our  dcsir(!  to  reach  the  little  villa<j'e  called  GaiiastouiK? 
^ounu\(m[\0-fm-a-oua-fa-oua,  prevented  our  going-  to  view 
that  wondci',  which  I  consider  as  so  mucli  the  grcatei-  in 
l)roportion  as  the  rivei-  St.  Lawrence  is  oni;  of  tlu'  lai'g- 
est  in  the  woi'ld.  1  will  leav(>  you  to  judge!  if  that  is  not 
a  iine  catai'act  in  which  all  ihe  water  of  that  lai'ge  river, 
— having  its  nioulh  [\\H'v  leagues  I)road,f — falls  Ironi  a 
height  of  200  feet,  with  a  noise  that  is  lieard  not  only  at 
the  place  where  we  were,  10  or  12  leagues  distant,  hut 
also  \'v()\\]  the  other  side  of  Lake  Ontario,  opposite  its 
mouth,  whei'c  M.  Trouve  told  me  he  had  heard  it. 

*Galiiit'c's  (Icscriplidii  of  Ihe  Falls  is  inDhaMy  Uic  cai'licst  on  rccoi'd.  Mis 
account,  \\  liicli  is  wholly  derived  t'roin  the  Indians,  is  feniarkahly  cori'ect. 
If  they  had  been  visited  liy  thi' Jesuits  jirior  to  the  time  of  this  exju'dition, 
they  have  failed  to  relate  the  fact  or  to  dcscrilie  them  in  their  .lournals.  The 
><'ia,iiara  liiver  is  alluded  to  under  th<'  name  of  Onfjuiiitihrii,  as  the  ctdchrated 
river  of  the  Neutral  nation,  liy  Father  I/Allemant  in  the  .lesiiil  Hclation  for 
1(140-1,  p.  (i.-),  pulilished  in  1(>-I"^,  hut  he  makes  no  mention  of  the  Cataract. 
Its  tirst  a|)i)earance  is  on  ('hamplMin"s  maj)  of  l(i:!0.  Afterwards  on  Sanson's 
nnip  of  Canada,  jiuhlislied  in  I'aris  in  l(i.')7.  It  was  mentioned  liy  the  Indi- 
ans to  ('artier,  Avlicn  he  ascended  the  St.  Lawrence  in  l.");j,").  I.escarl)ot,. 
p.  ;!.S1,  edition  of  HiO'J. 

f  At  the  Gidf  of  St.  Lawrence. 


x\ 


Wo  pMSM'd  llic  I'ivcr,  iiiid  liiially,  ill  tlic  end  of  live 
<lii}'s  ti'jivcl  arrived  tit  tlie  cxtreiiiity  dl'  Lake  Oiihirio, 
wlierc  tliei'e  is  a  line  lnv^n  sandy  l)ay,  at  the  (Mid  of  w  liieli 
is  an  oiillel  of  aiiotiier  small  lak(!  wliieli  i.s  lliere  dis- 
ci laru'ed.''"'  Into  this  our  uuidc  conducU'd  us  al)«»ut  lialf 
u  leaii'iie,  lo  ii  [loiuL  nearest  llu.'  village,  Init  distant  IVoni 
it  souk;  ."»  ov  G  lea^^ues,  and  where  wa  unloadi'd  our 
eaiioes. 

We  waited  liere  until  tlie  chiefs  of  tin;  villati'ii  came  to 
ineel,  us  with  some  men  to  carry  our  elVects.  ^I.  do  La, 
Salle  was  s(V",cd,  while  hiintiiiL'',  uith  ti  severi;  rever,wliich 
in  a  lew  days  reduced  him  very  low% 

Some  said  it  was  causcjd  hy  the  sighl  of  three  lai'g'i^ 
rattlesnakes  which  he  had  encountered  on  his  wav  wliih; 
asceiidinii'  a  rocky  eminence. f  At  any  rate  it  is  certain 
thai  it  is  ii  veiy  ui^ly  s[)ectacle,  for  those  animals  are  not 
timid  like  other  serpents,  I)ut  lii'iiily  wait  for  a  |i('i'son, 
()uickly  a>sniniiii;'  a  detensive  attitude,  and  coilini;-  hall" 
the  l)odv,  iVom  the  tail  to  the  middle,  as  if  it  were  a 
liirge  cord,  keeping'  tin-  rmr.ainder  eiitirc.'ly  str^iight,  and 
dartiiii;-  foi'ward,  sonuMimes  three  or  lour  ])aces,  all  the 
tiim;  making  ;i  loud  noise  with  the  rallle  which  it  cari'ies 
at  the  end  of  ils  tail.  There  ar(,'  many  in  this  })lace  as 
large  as  the  arm,  six  or  seven  I'eet  long  and  entirely 
black.  It  vibrates  its  rattle  very  I'apidly,  making  a  sound 
like  a  quantity  of  melon  or  gourd  sei'ds  shaken  in  a  box. 
At  leiigtii,  after  waiting  three  days,  the  chiefs  and 
almost  eveiy  one  in  the  village  came  to  meet  us.  We 
held  ;i  council  in  our  cabin,  where  niy  Dutelunan  suc- 
ceeded better  than  had  been  done  in  the  <2'reat  villaii-c. 

*  I5urlini;t()ii  Bay. 

f  rrol)al)ly  tin;  Mountain  ri<lgo. 


u 

AVe  u'Jive  two  pri'scuts  to  ol»!;iin  two  c';i[)li\('S,  ;iii(l  ;i 
third  lor  cai'i'viiiL!-  our  oll'ccts  to  the  villniJ'e.  '\'\\r  savnues 
inado  us  two  pre-^cuts.  Tlio  tii'st  of  14  or  15  droned 
dt'ci'skiiis,  to  assure  us  llu'y  were  .U'oini;'  to  coiiduci  us  to 
tlieir  village,  l)ut  as  tlu'N'  were  omIn'  a  liaudliil  ot"  people, 
iucapahlo  of  ""sistauci',  they  l)('L:'i;od  us  not  to  liarni 
them,  nor  l)urn  tl  in,  as  the  French  had  the  Mohawks. 
We  assured  them  ot'  our  good  will.  They  made  ns  still 
another  present  ol"  alxuit  5,000  shell  heads,  and  after- 
wards two  ea[)Lives  for  guides.  ()ni_^'  of  them  belonged 
to  the  C'houanon>'"*  nation,  and  th(>  othei'  to  the  Xez 
Pei'ecx.  1  lia\e  sinee  thought  that  the  laller  was  fi'om 
ii  nation  near  the  L'ontouatanuics.-f  They  were  both 
exeellent  hunters,  and  seemed  to  lie  well  disi)osed. 

The  Cliuuauon  fell  to  M.  de  La  Salle,  and  the  other  to 
us.  They  alsi)  told  us  they  would  aid  the  ne.xt  day  iii 
eai'ryini!-  our  elleets  to  the  villaij'e,  so  that  we  miijht  u'o 
from  thenee  to  tin'  l)anks  of  a  river,  on  which  we  could 
endtark  for  Lake  Lrie. 


I  have  thus  far  followed  the  nai'rative  of  Galint'e,  in  a 
literal  translation  from  the  French  nnmuscript.  Bel<ti'(.' 
closing,  I  will  give  a  brief  >ketch  ol"  the  suUseipienL 
events  which  attended  the  expedition. 

On  leaving  ])urlingt(»n  l>ay  they  aseeiuled  the  Afoun- 
tain  ri<lge,  which,  ci'ossing  the  Niagara,  at  Lewiston, 
sweeps  I'ound  the  wt'stein  end  of  Lake.'  Ontario.  This 
must  have  been  near  and  north  of  the  pi'csent  site  (;f 
Hamilton.  Aided  by  the  Algon(piins,  who  carried  their 
offeL'ts,  they  proceede(l   to  the  village  of  Olinaouafaoiia, 

*Sliawiu'cs.     They  Wfic  iicaily  (.'Xti'i'iiiiiiatcd  by  tlii'  Tr<)((iuiis  tliroi'  years 
aftrr.     JI.  Cliarlovoix,  j).  2U. 
\  Pottawutaraics. 


i 


»  > 


.u 


w 


:^5 

sitiijitcd  Ix'twccii  llic  lic;i(l  of  the  \\\\\  niid  llic  (li'aiid 
Jvivci-,  rcjicliiiii;'  llic  roriiicr  <>ii  llic  2iM  day  ol"  Sc^phMiiljcr. 
The  Indians  ui;L;'cd  llicni  stron-ly  !(•  slay  at  thai  point 
foi-  missioiiaiy  work,  l.ul  llicii-  desii'e  foi-  I'ln'tlicr  discov- 
C'l'ics  inipclicd  tlicni  forward. 

Here  i(  was  tlicy  met  .Icdici.'"'  rcnirnini;'  IVoni  a  IVnit- 
]('>s  ('X])('dition,  on  wliirli  lie  liad  Ix'cn  sent  hv  M.  do 
Conrccllcs,  in  scai'd:  of  tlic  cojjix'r  mines  of  Lake  Supe- 
rior, and  who  inipai'icd  va]ual)l('  L;('oi;i'aj)liical  inlornnUion 
lo  ClalincH'  lor  tlic  conslruclion  of  his  chaiM,  and  lor  liis 
course  ihron^li  tlio  Lakes. 

'J'he  missionaries,  ]ia\-in,u'  scparaled  iVom  I. a  Sadc,  Irfl 
Otiitaofiafaoua  on  The  (irsl  of  Oelol.ci- willi  iheii'  reliiiue, 
neeoinplislied  tlie  remaindei'  of  the  i)orla,u'e'  lo  tlicCirand 
TuM'!-,  and  descended  its  diHicull  and  lorluons  eliannel, 
now  swolh'n  willi  aulnninal  rains.  In  II  (|;i\s  liny 
reached  ils  moulh  and  encamjxd  on  llie  norllicrn  slH)re 
of  Lake  I'h'ic,  whieli  Ihcy  desei'il»e  as  ''a  va>l  sea.  losscd 
l>y  lempcsfin)us  winds  " 

A I  I  he  einl  of  llii-ee  days  ihey  Imill  a  cakin  for  Iheii- 
■■^lifk*'!'.  ;it  oi-  near  llu'  moulli  of  lln'  i'i\-cr.  Here  lhe\-  em- 
]»]oyed  Iheii-  lime  in  hnnline'  |lic  o-ame  wliieh  alxiunded 
in  ihe  nci^iikorliood,  and  in  dryin-  the  Jh-sli  of  I  wo  of 
the  hiri^'cr  aninnils.  wlucli  lliey  had  seenred  foi'  suksislence 
on  (lieir  journey.      To  llies(>  were  added  seven  I  \-  l)iislieks 

*Jiilii't  liail  li'I'l  M(ii\n'(  111  licfnrc  the  Suliuciiin--  ;inil  L;i  Salle,  with  four 
f.aiioi's  ami  ^niiic  incrcliandi'-c  lor  the  ( >tta\\  as,  Hcsiili"-  searching,'  lor  copper 
mines,  ho  hail  heeii  iii^iiaieted  lo  tiiul  a  luore  feasilile  roule  than  the  one 
the?'  ill  Use,  for  tlie  tran^porlat ion  of  tlie  copper  to  Monlreaj.  lie  was  unsuc- 
cessful in  his  search  for  the  mines,  hut  having' met  with  an  Iroijuois  who  had 
been  taken  ]iri-(uier  Iiy  Ihe  ()tt;i\vas,  the  cajitive  informed  him  of  the  shorter 
route  hy  the  way  of  the  (iraiul  Hiver  and  Lake  Oiilsrio,  and  it  waswliilc 
lesliii'j;  its  feasibility,  that  he  met  La  Salle  inul  the  Sulpieians, 

The  copjier  mines  were  liist  made  known  by  the  Jesuits  as  earlv  as  KI.IO. 
Kehition    lii.VJ  (111,  p.  4  b 


I 


*  i 


m^^m^mm^mmm 


36 


of  nuts  of  various  kinds,  which  thoy  had  ,<^'atliorcd  in  tho 
woods,  and  apples,  phiins,  grapes  and  hackherries*  iu 
great  quantity.  Tlio  vine  is  described  as  growing  s[)on- 
taneously  along  the  sandy  border Tof  tlie  lake,  pi'o- 
ducing  grapes  as  hirge  and  palatable  as  the  finest  in  the 
north  of  France.  The  ex[)ressed  juice  of  the  Iruit  served 
tlieiu  all  winter  for  the  celebi'alion  of  Holy  Mass.  Here 
they  spent  fifteen  days,  waiting  in  vaiu  for  the'  abatement 
of  the  vioh^it  winds  which  prevailed  on  the  lake  at  that 
season.  AVinter  being  near  at  hand,  it  was  deemed  too 
hazardous  to  trust  their  frail  bark  gondolas  ou  the 
treachei'ous  lake,  and  the-y  decided  to  encamp  in  the 
neighboring  woods  for  the  winter. 

They  selected  a  commodious  spot/^about  a  mile  farther 
iidaiid,  at  the  moui..  of  a  small  branch  of  the  Grand 
Rivei-.  Here  they  rebuilt  their  cabin,  so  as  to  aflbrd 
tln-m  sheltei'  from  the  weathei',  and  protection  against 
an  enemy.  In  one  end  of  the  building  thev  I'aised 
the  first  altar  dedicated  to  Christian  worship  on  the 
banks  of  Lake  Erie.f 

*'rii»'  HiickbciTy  is  tiiuloulitcdly  tlic  'V  V/.v  nr  '</(/, tulis,  or  Xcltlc  tree,  a  iiiitivc 
of  New  England  and  of  tlii'  Soiilhcni  States.  Tlicrc  is  a  rcL;ion  in  Canada, 
lying-  iHdtli  of  Lalvc  Eric,  wliicli  has  a  (lini.de  and  soil  favoraliic  for  the 
growth  of  niori'  sfaUlicrn  plants,  and  in  wliicii  many  of  thcin  aixiund.  Tins 
would  1)0  congenial  to  the  Nettle  tree,  (iray  says  it  is  of  medinni  si/.c,  hears 
a  sweet  edible  fruit  as  large  as  bird  cherries,  and  i'i])cns  in  u\itunin. 

Tlie  .Jesuits  sj)<.'ak  of  aitplcs  shaped  like  a  goose  egg,  with  seeds  as  laige  as 
beans,  broi'dit  from  the  country  of  the  Erics,  having  a  peculiar  odor  and 
delicate  flavor.     Relation  Kt.")?,  p.  J!:).  (Quebec  Edition. 

fThe  Franciscan  Father  Daillon  pissed  the  winter  of  1(!Q()-7  among  the 
Neuter  Nation,  which  resided  on  both  sides  of  the  Niagara  and  north  of 
Lake  Erie,  and  he  uiay  have  celebrated  mass  on  the  shore  of  the  lake.  So 
also  the  Jesuits  Hrebeuf  and  Chaumonot,  who  visited  the  same  nation  m 
1()40,  may  have  perfoi'med  the  same  rite  in  that  locality,  but  lu)  record  has 
been  left  of  the  fact. 

The  fiist  mass  celebrated  in  Camilla  was  at  (Quebec,  by  the  Franciscan 
D'<)ll)eau,  on  the  2')\h  of  June,  Kil.").  I.  f,e  Clerei|,  elablissement  de  la 
Foi,  p.  (10. 


II 


37 

Foi1uii;ih'ly  tliey  found  tlu3  winter  iiiucli   uiilder   than 
tlio}-  had  cxperieucod  dui-ing-  tlieir  residence  at  Montreal. 
Six  months  liad  nearly  passed  away  before   tliey  were 
ready  to  proceed  on  their  expedition. 

On  the  2:U\  of  :Marcli,  1G70,  tliey  erected  a  cross,  as  a 
nunnorial  of  their  winter  liome,  to  wliicli  tliey  affixed  the 
arms  of  Louis  XIV.,  and  took   formal    possession  of  the 
country  in  the  name  of  that  King.   Three  days  thereafter 
they  resumed  theii-  voyage  toward  the  west,    and   arriv- 
ing at  the  eastern   side  of  Long   Point,   drew   up   their 
canoes   on   the   beach,   and   encamped   near   the   shore. 
Overcome  with  fatigue  they  wei-e  soon  buried  in  sice}). 
Not  anticipating  any  disaster,  they  carelessly  loft  some 
of  their  cflects  quite  near  the  Avat.er.     A  violent  north- 
east gale  arose  in  the  night,  disturbing  the  lake  to  such 
an   extent,   that  the  water  rose  to  the  height  of  six  fe(.'t, 
and    bore    away    the    ccmteiits  of  one  of  their   caiioes. 
Fortunately   tluy   were  ai-oused   in  season  to  secure  the 
remainder.      Theii-  powder  and  lead  were  lost,  and  more 
than  all,  their  lioly  chaj)el,  without  which  the  Euchai-ist 
could  not  be  celebrated. 

Discouraged  by  these  misfortunes,  tluy  abandoned  the 
fiirthei-  })i'osecutiou  of  the  enterprise,  and  I'eturned  home 
by  the  circuitous  route  of  the  Sault  do  Ste  ^Farie  and 
Ottawa  river,  reaching  ]\[outreal  on  the  ISth  of  the 
following  .lune. 

It  now  nunaiiis  to  notice  brictlv  the  fui'ther  move- 
ments of  La  Salle.  After  r(}achiug  Otinaoucitaoua^  he 
declined  all  further  connection  with  the  Sulpicians, 
under  the  jiretext  that  the  condition  of  his  health  would 
not  warrant  a  winter  encampment  in  the  woods. 

On    the    oOtli    day    of   Se[)tember,    the    eve  of  their 


1 


separation,  *lie  wliole  l^ni'ly  iiiiit(Ml  in  cclclM'a!  inu"  tlieir 
last  ^Tass  tou'ctlier,  and  tin;  next  day  tlic  t wo  mission- 
!ii-i('s,  i)'('unm[)iiiiiud  Uy  .I'olicI,  Icl'l  for  tlic  wol  as  IxToi'Ci 
I'clalcd.  La  Sall(^  set  liis  lace  oast  ward,  ostcnsil)l\-  for 
Montreal,  ImT  really,  as  is  sii])|)osed,  with  the  inl<'ntioii 
of  making'  furtlier  ell'orts  to  reacli  the  Oliio  and  (lie  ^lis- 
sissi))|)i  ihronu'h  tlie  !i'o(|Uois  eoiintr\'.  riilori  nnatcly 
tlie  jonrinds  whicli  lie  ke[)t,  and  tin*  (hai'ts  wliieh  ho 
drew,  have,  it  is  feared,  heen  iiTeeo\-eraMy  lost.  Tlio 
most  diliu'ent  sc^irch  ann)ng  the  })a[)i'rs  oC  his  l'anii]\'  and 
elsewhere,  have;  failed  as  }et.  to  discover  the  slightest 
trace  of  the  valnahle  documents. 

If  .M.  Maru'i'v's  nninnscri[)ts,  when  pul)lished,  do  not 
settle  all  the  (juestions  that  liave  arisen  in  I'egard  to  th(j 
discoveries  of  La  Salle,  I  hey  will  at  least  shed  new  light 
and  Insti'e  upon  the  career,  and  (ill  some  (.>!' the  l»lanks 
which  exist  in  the  hi-tory  of  that  rennirkalile  and  in- 
trepid ex[)loi'er. 

They  will  give  us  fuller  details  of  his  (ir>l  expedi- 
tion to  the  Ohio,  in  whieli  ho  is  said  to  have  visited  the 
falls  at  Louisville,  and  from  whence,  heiiig  de>erted  hv 
his  companions,  he  return  d  alone  to  ^lonlreal,  after 
1,200  ndles  of  foot  ami  canoe  ti'a\(d,  sul>si>ling  on  the 
game  and  herbs  he  found  in  the  woods,  or  I'eceived  from 
the  frieiully  Indians  ho  met  on  the  way. 

'I'hev  nniv  allbrd  us  satisfactorv  proof  of  his  discovery 

•'1/  fc/       1  V 

of  the  ^Iississip[)i  in  1G71  and  1()72,  hefoi'e  it  was  visite(l 
l»v  Mar([Uelto  and  Joliet,  when,  it  is  claimed,  he  des- 
cended the  Illinois  to  its  conlluenco  with  the  Mississippi, 
and  down  the  latter  to  the  .'>Gth  dcii'ree  of  X.  latitude.'."" 
They  will  give  us  details  of  his  visit  to  France  in  l()7t, 

'*"  .Maru'i'v  ill  IkC'VUf  Mariiinn'  i'lr  lST"-2.  p.  'hut. 


:59 


wlicii  li(^  rcrcivctl  a  Patent  of  X(»l»ilil\- ;  (A'  liis  return  to 
Canada  tin'  lullowin;^'  year;  of  his  eontentioiis  willi  llie 
Jesnils;  ami  of  his  voxau'i;  to  France  in  li'>T«S,  when  ho 
ret'ei\-e(l  new  >iii)plies  Inr  his  American  enler[)i'ises,  and  a 
Ivoyal  (ii'ant  from  thi;  ]<\\)'j:. 

'Y\\rv  will    Li'ive  us  a  mere   sali-factorv   account    of   his 

I/O  K/ 

expedition  to  the  A\'est  in  lG7>i-9,  in  which  he  l)uilt  a 
bark  on  Lake  (Jidario,  and  the  (Jrillin  on  the  Xiai^'ara  ; 
of  his  vovau'e  in  the  latter  to  (Ireen  J>av;  his  coasfini/  liv 
canoe  aloiiu,'  the  western  shore  ol  Lake  Michigan  to  the 
ri\'er  St.  .loscjih  ;  his  porlau'e  from  the  lattei  to  the 
soui'ces  (»!"  the  Illinois,  and  descent  to  the  foot  of  Lake 
lNM)i'ia,  and  of  his  lonu'  and  weai'isonie  return  1)\'  wav  of 
the  rix'er  St.  Jo>ei»h.  and  aci'os>  the  Michigan  peninsula 
to  the  llmon  ri\'ei-.  How  he  desceiuh'tl  the  latter  in  an 
elm  harlv  canoe  of  his  own  construction,  lo  the  Detroit 
]'ivei\  cro.-sinu'  which  he  found  his  wux  1»\'  land  to  Point 
P(dee,  from  whence,  in  another  canoe,  he  coasted  aloni;" 
Lake  Erie  and  the  Xiau'ara  as  far  as  the  dock  on  which 
1r'  had  Luilt  the  ririllin,  and  where  he  rn>t  heard  tidings 
ol'  its  loss,  and  of  the  wi'eck  of  another  ship  in  the  mouth 
of  the  St.  Lawrence,  freighted  with  goods  destined  for 
his  use  How,  weai'\'  and  fool  sor(\  Li'on/.cd  l>v  sun  and 
wealher.  1)UI  not  disliearteiu'd,  he  reached  ^fontreal  after 
1)5  da\s  and  1000  miles  of  incessant  travel  hy  land,  lake, 
and  river.  How  se\'('ial  ol'  his  canoes,  richly  laden  with 
I'ui's.  wei'e  lo>t  in  tln>  i'ai)i(l^  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  just  in 
sight  of  their  deslinalion.  How  the  news  soon  followed 
of  the  destruction  of  his  forts  at  St.  Joseph  and  Creve- 
cieur,  and  the  desertion  of  his  nu-ii.  How  hi.-;  ci'cditors 
I'cceived  tin;  intellii''ence  of  his  di>asteis  and  seized  his 
elfi'cts. 


^mmm^immm 


f 


40 

They  will  <^'ivo  us  tho  detiiils  ol"  liis  expedition  in 
1G80,  in  which  he  penetrated  the  west  by  the  w;iy  ol 
Lake  Ontario,  leaving  which  a  little  west  of  Toi'onto, 
he  ascended  the  River  Ilumber,  and  passim--  ihrou'di 
Lakes  Siincoe,  Huron  and  Michigiin,  reached  his  deserted 
forts  in  the  Illinois  country,  where  he  passed  the  winter, 
and  returned  to  Fort  Frontenac  in  the  spring  of  1G81. 

W(i  shall  undoubtedly  have  ftdl  accou'/.ts  of  the  expe- 
dition which  he  made  in  the  following  suniinei',  when  he 
aecoin[)lishe(l  his  famous  descent  of  the  ^Mississippi  to  its 
mouth,  the  fwst  ou  record,  and  took  possession  of  the 
country  in  the  name  of  the  King,  after  whom  he  cnlled  it 
"  Louisiiina."' 

How  he  ]'eturned  to  Quebec  in  1683  and  left  for 
France  in  H;84,  where  he  defeated  the  machinations  of 
liis  enemies  at  the  Court  of  Louis  XIY.,  and,  under  his 
patronage,  organized  an  expedition  of  four  ships,  in 
which  he  sailed  for  the  mouth  of  the  ^lississippi,  reaching 
;^^atagordas  Bay  in  February,  1685. 

How,  overwhebned  by  the  loss  of  those  shi[)s,  and  the 
treachery  of  their  captain,  but,  Avith  a  courage  and  self- 
reliance  superior  to  every  adversity,  and  an  energy  and 
resolution  that  never  faltered,  he  set  out  in  January, 
1687,  with  twenty  companions,  on  a  long,  i)erilous  joui-- 
uey  to  Lake  ^lichigan  in  search  of  succor  for  the  little 
colony  he  had  left  on  the  shores  of  the  Mexican  Gulf,— a 
mission  he  was  not  permitted  to  accomplish. 

De  Soto,  after  traversing  with  his  mailed  wari'iors  our 
southern  country,  from  Florida  to  the  ^lississippi,  found 
his  grave  in  the  bed  of  the  niighty  river  he  had  discov- 
ered. Marquette,  the  next  in  the  order  of  explorers,  was 
overtaken  by  death  while  returning  homeward  through 


i 


i. 


Ilr 


f 


'% 


J 


41 

Lake  Michiu'an,  and  l)iiii('(l  wIkmc  lu;  dird.oii  the  eastt'i'ii 
fslioi'e  of  tliat  Lake,  at  tlie  iiioutli  ol"  llic  river  wliieh 
jxTpeiiiates  liis  name. 

La  Sidle,  less  lortiiiiatc  in  Ueini;'  denied  a  iiatnral 
deatli,  also  ('los(>d  liis  career  in  tlie  land  lie  was  en- 
gaged in  exploring.  Ari'ested  on  liis  errand  of  mercy 
by  the  hand  of  an  assassin,  he  fell  l>y  treachery  in  IGST? 
on  a,  hi'aneli  of  the  Trinity  I'ivei-  in  Texas,  where  his  un- 
buried  remains  wci'e  left  a  prey  to  the  savage  beasts  of 
the  wilderness. 

The  American  peo])l(\  who  entered  upon  and  devel- 
o})ed  the  inhei-itance  lie  left  as  the  (Vnit  of  his  bold 
and  sagacious  enter[)rises,  have  built  no  nionumeiit  to  his 
memory.  Ifei'e  and  there."  an  insignilicant  locality  bears 
his  name,  and  om.'  of  the  four  historical  panels  in  the 
rotunda  of  the  Capitol  at  Washington  is  occupied  by  his 
portrait,  in  [iroximity  to  those  of  ("olunibus,  Raleigh 
and  Cabot. 

An  jiuthentic  and  detailed  account  of  his  discoN'cries 
and  exi)loralioiis,  illustrated  with  maps  and  portraits, 
compih.'d  from  original  sonixes  under  the  supervision  of 
one'  who  has  devoted  a  life-time  to  the  subject,  and  piib- 
lislied  to  llie  woi'ld  under  the  auspices  of  llie  American 
Congress,  will  constitute  a  memorial  more  enduring  and 
appropriate  than  the  most  imposing  structure  of  bronze 
or  marble. 


w 


APPENDIX. 


THE    OK  10  IN     OK    THE     NAME     9KNF.  I'A. 


i 


IIow  lliis  niiiiii'  ofii^niiiili'il,  is  ;i  ri.iatii  >/i/irs/i,t  iiniont;  Iiiilnuiiti(|u;irians 
and  ('t\  Miolotiists.  The  Iciist  pluiisililc  siipiKisilimi  is,  thul  tlic  iiaine  has  any 
rfl'crciuc  to  tlii'  moraiisf  SKNKt'A. 

SoniL'  liavc  supposed  it  to  lie  a  (■orni]>tion  of  IlioDulch  tiTin  for  Vt'i'million, 
(•///(/«'/■  or  cinnabar,  under  llie  ivssimi])! ion  liiat  llie  Senecas,  liein^;  the  most 
warHi<(i  of  the  Five  Nations,  used  lliat  jiignient  more  than  the  utiiers,  and 
thus  gave  origin  to  the  name.* 

Tins  liypc'liiesis  is  sujipoi'ted  hy  no  authority.  Tiio  \ise  of  warpaint,  eom- 
mon  to  every  Indian  nation,  was  not  so  exclusively  practiced  hy  tlie  Seiiecas, 
as  to  lie  iilicly  to  give  origin  to  llieir  national  name.  JJesides,  Vcimillion  is 
tlic  red  suliiiuiret  of  menairy,  and  was  hardly  procureahle  hy  the  Indians  in 
lOHi,  when  tlu'  name  was  lirst  used.  'I'hey  undoubtedly  made  use  of  some 
vegetable  dye  al  that  early  day. 

The  name  "  .S/,„,,(/.s"  tirst  apjtears  on  a  Dutch  ^laji  nf  lOlii,  and  again  («n 
Jean  de  [,aet>'  map  of  lf!:!l5.  Inasmuch  as  it  conu  s  to  us  tliro\igh  a  Dutch 
medium,  it  is  claimed  by  some  that  it  is  (K'rived  from  tlie  Algonqiiins,  with 
whom  the  Dutch  iiad  their  first  intercourse.  The  map  of  1(110  above 
referred  to,  was  com|)iled  from  the  report  of  one  Kleyiiiies,  based  on  a 
pre\ious  exploration  of  the  Iro(iu(iis  country.  On  this  m,ap  ii  is  written 
"  Senneeas."  A  cojiy  may  be  fomul  in  tlie  first  volume  of  the  N.  Y.  Col.  Doc. 
p.  10.  The  tribe  is  ]tlaecd  on  the  map  in  the  territory  id'  the  Iroquois,  and 
apparently  near  Oneida  Lake,  but  in  a  note  inscribed  on  the  map,  the  author 
says,  "the  Senneeas  ought  to  be  placed  farther  west  into  the  country." 

The  ([uestion  arises  from  whom  did  Kleynties  obtain  the  name?  The  'MS. 
note  above  nu'iitioned,  says  that  he  anil  his  I'omjianion  went  on  an  exjiedi- 
\um  from  tin  Mohairk  <-i>Hiitvjt  into  tlic  iiito'inr.  They  mu>t  have  had  a  -Mo- 
hawk, rather  than  an  Algoni|uiu  guide,  as  the  latter  nation  was  always  at 
enndty  with  the  Irorpiois.  This  renders  it  yxissiblr  that  the  name  S( iurn  was 
o):tained  through  the  lips  of  the  Mohawk,  and  tliat  in  writing  it  ^''  Soinecnn," 
Kleynties  atli'mpted  to  give  the  name  as  it  sounded  to  liis  ears  when  spoken 
by  the  Mohawk. 

It  is  chumed  !iy  some  that  the  word  n:ay  l)e  derived  from  ''SifOK/.n.r,"  the 
Algonipun  name  of  a  tribe  of  Indians  s])oken  of  in  AVassenaerV  History  fd' 
Europe,  on  the  authority  of  Pieter  Barentz,  wdio  traded  with  them  about  the 
year  1(!','(,>.     Their  residence  is  not  stated,   and  it   is   by  no  means  certain  that 

'ri>i-n|il:iiitcr  Mriiioilat.  p.  L.'l. 


»l 


II 


llicy  iiic  idriiliciil  with  llic  Si-iiiriis.  Doc.  Hist.  N.  V.  N'oj.  ;!.  p.  •.>!!.  As  tlio 
Sciieciis  ;iro  lociiU'd  1)\'  I)c  Lacts'  niiipon  the  soiiiii  side  ol'  Oiicidii  Liiisc,  Mr. 
'rniiMhidl  thinlvs  lii.it  tlic  hiiiik;  whs  Ix'stowcd  liy  i\w.  Ali;(in(|uiiis  dii  llio 
Oiicidas,  iriiin  tlic  fact  tliiit  ukui'iii',  in  Ali;'oii(|iiiii,  siiiiiificH  '  a  stone,"  and  ,'/*< 
or />',  "place  of,"  lieiii;;  an  AI,u;oii(|uiii  traii-latimi  of  ijie  Iro(|Uois  name  of 
Oneida,  into  .'l.-.s/Vir^z/v,  or  "  place  of  tlic  Stone."  He  thinks  that  when  the 
geojrraphical  divisions  of  the  Iro(|iiois  iiccaiue  better  known,  the  Senecas 
were  assigned  their  true  position  fiirlliei'  we>l,  still  fctaininu',  in  the  nomen- 
clature of  the  i/eoiiinphcf^,  the  name  which  lielonucd  to  tli"  Oncid.is.  The 
opinion  of  so  eminent  an  authority  as  .Mr. 'rriinilinll  is  certainly  worthy  of 
consideration  l!  would  however  lie  a  more  natural  and  sali-liictory  solution 
of  the  (|Ucslioii,  if  their  national  name  could  he  deri\(d  fmm  the  Seiiccas 
thi'mselves.  Without  assuming' I"  solve  the  mystery,  the  writer  will  content 
himself  with  uivinii;  .some  data  which  may  possihly  aid  others  in  arriviui;- 
at  a  reliable  conclusion. 

The  Fi-ench,  in  lln'ir  pioneer  explorations  of  Canada,  derived  tln'ir  kiiowl- 
edi:e  of  the  Senecas  tliroiiir)i  t|i(.  Friniciscan  and  Jesuit  Mis.sionaries  Those 
holy  Fathers  tirst  heard  (d'  them  throiiiiii  the  TFurons,  amonii'  whom  they 
estahlislied  at  a  very  early  lay  the  missions  of  their  respective  Orders.  The 
llurons  called  them  SiuKinfi/in r/ii'iimis^  that  is,  "' jn"i>h  nf  ShiiidiiIoiihii"  the 
termination  rlninniis  or  runoux  si;:nifyinii'  "people."  * 

Tiieir  name  tirst  occurs  in  the  Jesuit  I'elation  for  KilJ.j,  and  is  there  writ- 
ten by  Brebeuf,  SoiKiiitvftihonoas.     ]{eIation  Ki;!."),  p.  ;!;!. 

r.e  Mercicr  spells  it    Sdii'iiitdiKniJiri'iiKnn     Hehitioiis  1(!:!7,  ]>.  111. 

Lo  Jeuiie  mentions  the  S<)ii<inf,,iii hiii,,<,iis.     Helation  KilO,  p.  ',]'). 

They  are  siibsciueiitly  called  'I'soninnitoiians,  Relation  KiTO,  jiauc  OK, 
and  Tshoueontouans.     Le  Clerc(|  Etablissciueiit  de  la  Foi      Vol.  II.  p.  IST. 

The  Hurons  and  Senecas  spoke  a  kindred  lanjj,'inm-e,  and  the  word  Sniiiniii- 
tniiiiii  Ik  iJic  sauu'  ill  both  dialects.  It  si^iiilies  "  ii-reai  hill,"  and  in  the  Seneca 
is  compounded  of  o/'"//(/(;/(,  hill,  and  ,',/ /r^'i^A,  ij.rea'.  1  he  Senecas,  in  foi'in- 
ing  a  compoimd  word,  usually  drop  all  which  follow  the  initial  consonant  of 
the  last  syllable  of  the  noun,  and  the  initial  consonant  of  the  adjective,  and 
then  sullix  the  latter  to  the  former.  Thus  the  compound  of  the  above  be- 
comes OmiiidiKi'ihih^  or  great  hill,  written  s,,iiiiiii,t<>H(ii,  by  the  Jesuits. f  The 
letter  S  when  prefixed  conveys  the  idea  of  jHmscuxioi,^  and  in  sonu'  cases  Ts, 
is  stibstituted  to  represent  a  lis])inii-  sound  (d'  tlieS,  which  was  formerly  (luilc' 
common  among  the  Senecas,  and  is  still  occasionally  heard. 

To  this  word,  OinDidoWidilt  or  great  hill,  the  sutl1.\  H'IkIi  was  added,  to  denote 
the  Seiu'CK  peoph-.  By  dropping  the  neuter  jiretix  O,  the  nation  d  title  became 
Kiiii-ih)-iriih-(iiiiih   or   "  I'hi'   Orcat  Jlill  pfoph  "  as  now  used  by  the  Scnccas' 

Sometimes  the  suffix  (i-imh  is  substituted  Un-  ipiiili,  which  would  make  N(tn- 
(1o->ra-o-rni/i,   having  however  the  same    mcuiing.     Morgan's    [ieairue,  p.  51. 

•  Kclatlons  l(!:i.').  p.  ;W  mid  l(u(,  p.  is.    Scc  Rfl;Ui(in  foi-  li'.rn,  p.  iHi.,  wlicro  it  Is  writifii  TsDiHion- 
touuii. 
tAlluillUfrtotlicirresiaiMK'i'  (luIJoiiKlaon  lllll  Nvlici'ctlKJrprliu'ipal  village  u:i<  IixmIimI    Sec  ii.  lU. 


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45 

Tin.' tcniiiiiiiliiiii  "//"// siLrnityiiig  "  iiihiiliilanls,"  is  iit'nily  iilrntiial  witlitlic 
I'oiii'iin  or  rliiiiiiiiix  (if  ilic!  Unroll!',  niid  has  tlic  same  s'miiiticiition. 

Tlie  MoliawUs  usr  tlic  li  rminatiuiiH  rtiiuKni  ami  ^"','/",  wliifli  corrc-iinnd 
witli  tlic  similar  words  used  liy  tlu;  Scnccas.     Hniyas'  Dictionary,  p.  IH. 

In  the  vol  iiitiilavy  of  the  Huron  or  Wyandot  lam,Miairi',  as  jiivcii  hy  Mr. 
Oallatin,  Coil.  Am.  Ant.  Society,  Vol.  II,  pp.  \V.\\  and  IMS,  tlic  Huron  word 
for  iiill  is  u'ivcn  as  nimiiliili,  and  for  Liicat,  ""<  /'.  ll  conii>ouiuliil,  tliey  w  uidd 
form  Oiiinildiini  II  or  j^rcat  hill,  which  is  only  a  dialectical  variation  from  the 
Hciieca  yniiihi-iriili,  and  eiiilnaces  >iuh  a  resemlilaiice  as  \\  c  would  expect  fioiii 
the  common  origin  of  tln'  two  nations. 

Ill  pronouncini;  the  Indian  nam''s  written  liy  the  Jesuits,  the  French  vowel 
and  iia-al  sounds  iiiu^l  he  rcirnrded.  The  {•'leiicli.  Iiuviim  no  "  "•,"  express  it- 
M)iind  liy  the  coiiihination  ""//."  In  writinu,'  Indian  wcud  the  letter-  '/ami  t 
are  often  used  iiitcrchaniicably. 

If  the  name  Seneca  can  legitimately  he  derived  from  the  Seneca  word  A"//- 
i],,  inili-ijitdli  as  ahovp  liiven,  it  can  only  he  done  l)y  prclixiiii:  San^  as  was  the 
custom  of  the  Jesuits,  and  droppiii;:'  all  unnecessary  letters.  It  would  then 
form  the  word  Smi-uoii-do-ira-i/a,  the  first  two  and  last  syllable  of  which,  if  the 
French  sounds  of  the  letter-;  are  uiven,  are  almost  identical  in  pronunciation 
■with  Siiinui,  The  chief  dillieulty,  however,  would  he  in  the  disjiosal  of  the 
two  siiperlliious  syllables.  They  may  have  been  dropped  in  the  jirocess  of 
contraction  so  I'Dinmun  in  the  compositiiui  of  Indian  words — a  result  which 
would  be  (piite  liUely  to  occur  to  a  SeiU'ca  name,  in  its  transiiii»ion  ihrouuh 
two  other  laiiLiuatzvs,  the  Mohawk  and  ihe  Dutch. 

The  foregoing  ipierics  and  sngn'cstions  are  thrown  out  for  what  they  are 
worth,  in  the  ab^Piicc  of  any  more  reliable  theory.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  a 
liapjiy  >olutioii  of  the  vexed  ([Ue-tion  may  yet  be  reached  by  some  iiivc>tii:ator 
jiavin.u'  the  necessary  facililies  and  ([nalifk'ations. 


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